


Soldier

by flamingbucky



Series: Soldier [1]
Category: Captain America (Comics), Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 1940s, Brooklyn, F/M, Fanfiction, Original Character(s), World War II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-06
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-03-28 00:07:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 56,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13892019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flamingbucky/pseuds/flamingbucky
Summary: 1917-1944. (Bucky x Female OC)~“Bucky, I want to go somewhere,” Adeline said, staring out at the ocean.“And where do you want to go?” Bucky asked, looking at Adeline.“Anywhere,” Adeline responded. “I want an adventure. Something I can write down and look back and say that I did that.”“Adventure,” Bucky laughed, shaking his head. “I pray to God that I will never have an adventure.” Adeline looked at Bucky, confused.“Why?” Adeline asked.“Have you ever read an adventure where everyone makes it out alive?”~Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, and Adeline Adams were inseparable from a young age. All three were always getting into trouble together both in school and on the streets of Brooklyn. As relationships grow stronger, war draws nearer. Adeline's future becomes uncertain as the world descends into another Great War.





	1. Prologue

The frigid wind picked up as snow blew in the faces of the search team. This far into northern Russia, there was never anything else but the bitter cold wind and the swirling snow.

"What do you think it is, chief?" One man shouted to the other, holding his hood down against the wind.

"Some sort of old world war bunker, I was told," the apparent chief said as they walked closer to the marked bunker. The recently discovered wreckage of the German aircraft that Captain America was found in, prompted numerous searches through the arctic. Ahead of them was the bunker, sticking out of the snow and the team that had surveyed the area, continued digging out the drifting snow.

"What have we got here?" The chief asked above the wind to another man in a red, bulky coat that made the man's head get lost in the material.

"At first we thought it was just an old munitions bunker from the wars but it turned out to be a lot more," the Russian team leader responded as he led the men into the bunker. "This is a whole underground lab."

"Shit," the chief said, looking around at the large chamber. The lights were dim and a sickly yellow light flowed from a metal coffin. The chief walked up to the metal coffin, looking into the frosted glass. A woman rested, her eyes closed, frost gathering on her eyelashes. Her pale skin spider webbed with white frost and her hand placed on the window as though reaching for something.

"Chief, who is that?" The man asked, walking up next to the chief.

"I want her back in D.C. in 12 hours," the chief said, looking at the woman in awe.

**|Tonsberg, Norway|  
|March, 1942|**

Distant gunshots could be heard as fast footsteps approached an old brick church. The man, who in the soft light of the candles, had red hair and a groomed mustache, but he looked disheveled, his eyes wild with fear as he quickly entered the church, closing and locking the large wooden doors behind him.

"They have come for it!" The man shouted in an urgent manner as the tower keeper briskly made his way down the stairs. He was an old man, he looked wise, his wispy hair and wrinkled face revealed his age.

"They have before the tower keeper responded, walking around to stand in front of the young man.

"Not like this," the messenger responded in a frightful tone.

"Let them try," the tower keeper responded. "They will never find it." There was a loud rumbling and as it got closer, the building and its contents began to rattle. The metallic sound of chains echoed throughout the brick building until it stopped, leaving the church in a silence that promised ill fate. Both the messenger and the tower keeper slowly backed away from the heavy wooden door as they watched warily for someone to walk in. There was one last crash as the entrance was blasted in, the bricks scattering, barely missing the tower keeper who stumbled back onto the floor. The messenger, however, let out a short pained cry as he fell underneath the rubble. The dust settled and the old man lifted a brick, confirming the young man's death as a battering ram retracted itself out of the now gaping hole that was once the entrance to the church. Harsh headlights poured into the old building as a car rounded the large tank, revealing a decorative Hydra symbol placed on full display at the front of the car. A man clad in all black, his hair too groomed, his face too clean to be part of such a dirty war. Men came rushing in, all in matching uniforms. Three took to the large stone coffin placed at the center of the church, attempting to slide it off. Their grunts of effort revealed its true weight.

"Open it!" Their commanding officer yelled. "Open it before he gets -" The officer stopped upon the arrival of the man in all black. All soldiers turned to stand straight as though in the presence of a god. Each man moved out of the way while the tower keeper lay on the ground, watching the man pick his way confidently over the rubble.

"It has taken me a long time to find this place. You should be commended," the man said, his German decent clear in his accent. He turned to one of his soldiers, "Pick him up." The nearest soldier did as told, grabbing the old man, pulling him to his feet to stand in front of the man that everyone seemed to fear yet had a great deal of obedience toward. "I think you are a man of great vision," the man in black went on, now able to look the tower keeper in the eyes. "And in this way we are much alike."

"I am nothing like you," the tower keeper responded quickly, not shying away from the confident man.

"No, of course. But, what others see as superstition, you and I know to be a science," the man retaliated calmly.

"What you seek is just a legend," the tower keeper insisted.

"Then why make such an effort to conceal it?" The man in black asked, nodding to the tomb. The tower keeper had no response as the man in all black made his way over to the tomb, handing his military issued hat to a nearby soldier. He took a brief glance over the coffin before easily shifting the top completely off, revealing a human skeleton whose boney hands grasped a glass cube. The man in all black ripped the cube away with his gloved hand, turning it over to observe it. "The Tesseract - it was the jewel of Odin's treasure room," the man said, turning to face the tower keeper, deliberately letting the cube slip from his gloved hand to shatter on the floor, earning startled looks from everyone. "Not something one buries," the man continued, walking up to the old tower keeper.

"I cannot help you," the old man responded, keeping his voice calm, only his eyes revealing his true fear.

"No," the man said softly, "but maybe you can help your village. you must have some friends out there. Some ... some grandchildren, perhaps. I have no need for them to die." The old tower keeper looked to the tank outside the church which was turning to aim toward the village's houses. The tower keeper looked back, not at the groomed man in front of him, but at the design of a tree on the far wall. The man in all black looked back, following the tower keeper's gaze, slowly walking over to it. "Yggdrasil," the man started, looking over the carving in the church wall, "the tree of the world. Guardian of wisdom and fate also." The man's gaze zeroed in on the roots of the tree until his finger came across a button that was slightly out of place. The man gave a slight smile as he pressed the button, revealing a secret container. He pulled the container out with a gloved hand, turning to his men as he opened it. A blue light lit his face, causing his figure to look sunken and etched. "And the Fuhrer sends us for trinkets in the desert," the man mumbled to himself, then looked up to the tower keeper who had a sickly look on his face. "You have never seen this, have you?"

"It is not for the eyes of ordinary men," the tower keeper responded, not able to take his eyes off the blue light reflecting off the man's face.

"Exactly," the man said, quickly snapping the box shut, the haunting look of the man now gone. He then began to walk out, signaling for his soldiers to follow. "Give the order to open fire." He placed his hat back on his head.

"Fool! You cannot control the power you hold. You will burn!" The tower keeper called, causing the man to turn.

"I already have," the groomed man responded, unholstering his gun, quickly shooting the old man who fell to the floor next to the now cold body of the messenger. The man in black was not fazed as the gunshots fired heavily behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

**|Brooklyn, New York|  
|Wednesday, June 6, 1923|**

"Girls can't play!" The annoying boy to Adeline's left said. He had dark hair, a pudgy face, dirty trousers with suspenders keeping them up and he was a complete idiot, but he was Steve's best friend and Steve was her best friend. So, naturally, she put up with him on most - some occasions.

"Can too!" Adeline argued, "Give me the bat." It was the last day of school and they had free time in the fenced in empty lot just outside of the school. Whenever there was a slight gust of wind, the sand would swirl and with each passing moment, the sun's rays seemed to beat down even more fiercely than before. today was particularly windy as the sand blew angrily in Adeline's face, ruffling her dress. Bucky and Steve promised her that she could play baseball once she was six and she had been six for a month.

"Adeline, why don't you go play with the other girls over there?" Steve proposed. Steve was a small boy, even at the age of four. He was skinny, had sandy hair and all of his clothes hung off him like rags. Adeline looked over to where a group of girls were playing a jump rope game.

"I don't want to. I want to play baseball," Adeline argued, giving Steve a silencing glare as the wind picked up once again.

"But girls can't play baseball," Bucky responded, still holding onto the bat.

"Give me the bat!" Adeline said again.

"No!" That was it, Adeline tackled the taller boy to the ground, the wooden bat falling out of his grasp. They rolled around in the dust, clawing, pulling and hitting each other.

"Hey!" A teacher called, pulling the two children apart. Adeline struggled against the teacher's hold, wanting another swing at the boy. She soon sat next to Bucky in the director's office, feeling a bruise forming on her left cheek.

"I hate you," Adeline mumbled, glaring ahead of her.

"I hate you," Bucky responded, slouching in his chair. The door behind the two children opened and closed softly. The director came into their view, sitting down behind his grand desk.

"James, Adeline. I've lost count of how many times you two have been here in my office," the man said in a disappointed voice. Mr. Jameson was, by no means, old. He had a new wife and he was a groomed man, always in a suit and tie. He had a sharp face, but it wasn't overwhelming. He almost resembled a sleek cat. The few grey hairs that stuck out was most likely the cause of constantly having to put up Adeline and Bucky. "It's the last day of school. Can't you both get past your differences and move on?"

"He wouldn't let me play baseball," Adeline said, glaring at the boy to her left, her chestnut waves of hair falling over her shoulder.

"James, is that true?" The director asked.

"You said I could play when I turned six! I've been six for a month!" Adeline retorted.

"Okay, okay," the director said, calming the two fuming children. "On any other day, I would have no choice but to write to both of your parents. You are both lucky that this is the last day of school. You can leave." Both Adeline and Bucky hopped off the chairs, walking out the door where Steve was waiting for them in the hallway.

"Guys ..." Steve trailed off when he saw that both of his friends were in a rotten mood. Adeline felt bad that she couldn't get along with Bucky for Steve's sake, but he was just so _annoying_.

"Bye, Steve. Bye, Bucky," Adeline said, walking away, knowing that she and Bucky would only argue if they both walked home with Steve.

"Do you really have to be friends with her?" Bucky asked.

"She's nice, Buck," Steve responded as they began walking out of the school a bit slower. "You're just not giving her a chance."

**|Monday, July 4, 1927|**

It was Steve's 9th birthday and Adeline knew that Bucky would be there, but she continued to walk through the rougher part of the city where the houses weren't nearly as grand as the ones further in the city. She was grateful of the sun that warmed her back as it usually kept the beggars underneath the bridges. Bucky and Adeline continued to rub each other the wrong way, though not as bad as when they were younger. Adeline attempted to get in a positive mindset for Steve. She didn't want his 9th birthday ruined by some stupid squabble between her and Bucky. She knew Steve hated it when his two friends quarreled and personally, Adeline hated it too. She was always exhausted after a fight, verbal or physical with Bucky.

Adeline made it to the small house in the smelly part of the city where the moonshiners always urinated in the streets. She knew that the Rogers' didn't have much money, especially after Steve's dad died in the Great War. On top of that, Steve was always in rotten health. Adeline walked up to the porch of the small, run down house and knocked on the door. To her surprise, Bucky opened.

"Hello, Bucky," Adeline greeted.

"Hey," he responded warily. Both were surprised at the lack of harshness in their words as Adeline walked past Bucky into the house. She could tell that Sarah, Steve's mom, had cleaned especially for the occasion.

"Hey, Steve," Adeline greeted, spotting Steve sitting at the table in front of a birthday meal of cooked potatoes and carrots. "I brought you a present."

"Really?" He asked, getting up from his seat, his eyes lighting up.

"Yeah, it isn't every day your friend turns nine," Adeline said with a smile, handing the small package to him.

"Steve, dear, how about we open gifts after we have our dinner," Sara said, motioning for Steve to place it next to Bucky's gift.

"Hello, Mrs. Rogers," Adeline greeted

"Hello, Adeline. How are you today?" She asked with a kind and welcoming smile.

"Always good, Sarah," Adeline responded. Sarah was like a second mother to both Bucky and Adeline. She was pretty, her blonde hair always perfectly groomed and her face was soft and inviting.

"Well, fill up your plates, we've got plenty of food," Sarah said, gesturing to the open seat across from Bucky. Once all four sat down, they all folded their hands, Sarah saying a small prayer before they dug in.

"This is amazing, Sarah," Bucky complimented.

"Yes, thank you," Adeline agreed. Once all of their plates were clear they helped with dishes and Steve could finally open his gifts. Adeline could tell he was eager, as the whole dinner, he was shaking with anticipation. They gathered in the parlor, sitting on the ground. First, he opened Bucky's gift, which revealed a pair of nice socks and a bag of caramel cubes.

"Thanks, Buck," Steve said, already popping a caramel cube into his mouth.

"Only the best for you," Bucky said as Steve threw both Bucky and Adeline a cube. He then moved to Adeline's gift. He opened the small box to find a men's cologne.

"Wow, thanks, Adeline," he said, looking at the expensive scent.

"No problem," Adeline responded. "I made sure to get you one that would make the girls swoon." They laughed as Steve popped off the cap, smelling it, then handing it to Bucky.

"Wow, I'm impressed, Adeline," Bucky said, handing the bottle back to Steve. "Is that really what women like?"

"Yes, it is," Adeline responded. "Take it from a woman herself." They laughed and Steve thanked them again.

"Hey, there's a firework show in the park tonight, if you guys wanna go see 'em," Steve said, popping another caramel cube into his mouth. Soon, the three were on their way to the park, talking about other kids in their school. Few kids ever went on a summer holiday, but Adeline could always tell which ones went places. They wouldn't stop talking about their adventures in Maine or their horseback riding in Georgia. At first, Adeline was always jealous, as her family never went anywhere, but she soon realized that all she ever needed was right here in Brooklyn. Adeline adjusted her blanket over her arms that Sarah had lent them to sit out on the grass with.

"Hey," Bucky said, stopping them next to an empty lot. "You guys know what's over that fence?"

"No, what?" Steve asked, eyeing the wooden fence warily.

"John Stephens said that there was a huge dog back there, almost tore him to shreds last summer," Bucky said.

"That's stupid," Adeline said. "Everyone knows John is a liar."

"If you don't believe me, go check it out for yourself," Bucky said, folding his arms, inviting Adeline to climb over the fence. "If you can get over, that is.

"I can too get over," Adeline retorted. "It's not even that high."

"Let's see it then," Bucky responded, walking over to the fence that seemed much taller than it was by the sidewalk.

"Adeline, don't do it, this is stupid. Let's just go the park," Steve pleaded.

"Come on, Steve, I wanna see if John's story actually checks out," Bucky said.

"Then why don't you check it yourself, Barnes?" Adeline asked, her hands on her hips.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're chickening out,' Bucky mocked, causing Adeline to roll her eyes.

"You're the one who wants to know what's on the other side," Adeline said. "I'd say you're the chicken."

"Come on, Adams," Bucky said.

"Everyone knows John exaggerates his summer tales," Adeline said getting a foothold, beginning to climb, much to the boy's astonishment. Adeline made it to the top, looking over into an old automobile lot.

"Well, what do you see, Adi?" Bucky asked.

"It's an old automobile lot," she responded. She carefully picked her way down to the other side, walking through the rows of rusted cars. There was a sudden growl and Adeline whipped around to see a very large Rottweiler, teeth bared, eyes glistening, ready to attack.

"Hey, Adeline, you see anything?" She heard Bucky call, but she couldn't move.

"Adeline?" She heard Steve. "Great, Bucky, the dog probably got her!"

"Relax, Steve, she's fine," Bucky said, though there was a hint of doubt in his voice.

"Adi?" Steve called again. Adeline had to think of something. She knew that the minute she moved, she was going to become the dog's snack, but she couldn't stay like that forever. She glanced to her left where the fence was. She then made her move, straight into a sprint as the dog barked and snarled, chasing after her.

"Adeline?" Se heard Bucky call as her feet carried her as fast as they could to the fence. The sharp pain of the dog's teeth ripped through her right arm as the dog yanked her back. The two boys were yelling for her on the other side as she kicked the dog as hard as she could in the nose. He yelped, causing his grip to loosen and allowing Adeline to rip her arm away from his teeth. She quickly made her way over the fence, falling over the top to land on both Bucky and Steve. She huffed as the boys broke her fall.

"Adeline, are you okay?" Steve asked frantically while Bucky helped her up, brushing off her back.

"Next time, you two can go over,' Adeline snapped, pointing an accusing finger at the both of them.

"You're bleeding!" Steve exclaimed, pointing to her outstretched right arm. Adeline looked down to see that, indeed, her right forearm was ripped open to the bone, skin hanging and blood dripping.

That night, instead of spending it in the park watching fireworks, the two boys, Sarah Rogers, a concerned Marie Adams and Adeline spent the evening at the hospital getting stitches. The two boys walked into the room, looking down, ashamed of themselves.

"Sorry, Adeline," Bucky mumbled.

"Yeah, sorry," Steve said. "We didn't know there was actually going to be a dog back there."

"I hate you," Adeline mumbled but with a small smile.

"I hate you," Bucky responded but with a slight chuckle. It wasn't nearly as menacing as it was when they were six years old.

"It's fine, really," Adeline said. "And happy birthday, Steve. This is one birthday none of us will ever forget." Adeline let out a humorless laugh.

"Yeah, thanks," Steve responded with a slight smile.

"Well, thank you, Sarah," Marie said, walking into the room. "Come on, Adeline. I think you've gotten yourself in enough trouble for tonight, let's go home. You get to explain this to your father." Adeline bit her lip, knowing her father wasn't going to be happy with her.

"Bye, Steve. Bye, Bucky," Adeline said, getting up from her seated position.

"Bye, Adeline," they chorused as they watched her walk out with her mom, a wrap around her right forearm.

**|Thursday, June 7, 1934|**

Adeline was fanning herself with her hand as she sat in the stuffy classroom of George Washington High School. The curtains of the open windows didn't even move and everyone in the class was melting in their seats as the sweaty professor wrote the final equation on the board. This was one of the hottest days of June and it was the last day of school. Another year was gone and next year, it would be Adeline's and Bucky's last year in high school.

"I'm surprised the chalk hasn't melted," Bucky mumbled, leaning over to Adeline with a slight chuckle.

"Yeah, right," Adeline responded. "I'm surprised that Mr. Elliott hasn't melted in his shoes. I heard that he's already changed his shirt three times."

"If you think his shirt is bad, I wonder about his underwear," Bucky said. They both laughed a bit too loud, causing Mr. Elliott to sigh, but continue to write.

"Barnes, Adams, this is the last day, can it wait until you leave?" He asked, knowing it was pointless to yell at them. Ever since the incident with the dog at, what they found out to be Fat Al's Automobile Salvage, they became inseparable. Adeline still had a scar on her right forearm to remind all three of them what happened that evening on July 4th. Some part of her hated the sight of the ugly scar but the other part thought it made her look more like herself.

Both Bucky and Adeline looked at each other, chuckling a bit. Adeline was just anticipating the teacher to dismiss them, signaling their freedom. Her, Steve, and Bucky were going to Coney Island. On such a hot day, they couldn't pass up an opportunity like this. Finally, after seven grueling minutes and quiet jokes with Bucky, Mr. Elliott dismissed them and he called over the shuffling of seats and bags to not forget to read at least two books over the summer.

"Yeah, that's happening," Bucky said sarcastically as they walked toward Steve's locker.

"You know, it's not that hard to read a book," Adeline said. "Besides, he never said what kind of book."

"That's why you're the smart one of the three," Bucky laughed, giving her a wink.

"Hey, are these drawings of your nonexistent girlfriend?" A large kid asked loudly, snatching Steve's drawing pad from his hands.

"Oh, great," Adeline sighed as the two saw Steve who was left in the shadow of a rather large classmate.

"Vincent!" Bucky yelled as the two walked up to the small crowd that gathered around Steve and the fat kid. Vincent Dunn was always picking on Steve. Whether it was in the hallways of school or behind a diner. He was an ugly and mean kid with a large group of friends only because he would threaten to make his pudgy fist better acquainted with their jaws. He had small beady eyes, bright ginger hair, and freckles covered his fat cheeks.

"Lay off, Dunn," Adeline said, snatching the notebook back from the kid's pudgy hands, giving it back to Steve.

"You think I'm scared of a broad like you?" Vincent asked mockingly.

"Hey, watch it," Bucky warned. "Don't start what you can't finish, Vincent." The ugly boy squinted his already small eyes and Adeline wondered if he could actually see out of them. Everyone knew, especially Vincent, what Bucky was capable of. Bucky was particularly popular in school. He was the YMCA boxing champion, smart, and quick. And everyone knew that Bucky never lost a fight.

Vincent's eyes then shifted to Adeline, down to her ugly scar. Everyone had a different version of the story behind Adeline's scar. Many of them were rather elaborated, but it made the bullies turn and run for the hills when she called her fists or gave them a silencing glare. Vincent eventually decided the better of his two options and turned away, his large posse following him.

"What an idiot," Adeline muttered.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Bucky said, turning to Steve. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Buck. But I could've taken him," Steve said, adjusting his notebooks in his arms.

"A simple 'thank you' would suffice," Adeline said with a smile, causing the two boys to laugh. "Come on, it's too hot in here, I'm ready for a lemonade. Besides, we deserve it. Last day and all."

"Yeah, let's go," Bucky said.

It seemed as though the whole city was out trying to cool down, many women trying to keep their lipstick from running in the still heat of the day. Adeline longed for a breeze to come through the buildings and ruffle her dress or mess up her hair. As far as records went, this was the hottest day any June 7th had ever seen before. The lines for tickets into Coney Island were long and many people were impatient.

"Maybe we should come back another day," Steve suggested.

"Oh, come on, Steve," Adeline said. "We do this every year. We can't break tradition. Besides, I want to ride the Cyclone."

"You want to do that every year," Steve responded dryly.

"And every year it gets more amusing," Adeline responded. "You haven't been on it, you should come."

"Adeline, you know I don't like roller coasters," Steve said.

"Steve, you can't say you don't like it if you've never tried it," Bucky pointed out. Steve sighed, shaking his head.

"I don't even think I'll make the height requirement," Steve replied jokingly. Steve was extraordinarily small. Adeline passed him by a little over 2 inches and Bucky towered over both of them. Adeline continued to fan herself as they got closer to the ticket booth.

"Three tickets please," Bucky said to the man in the booth. He exchanged a total of 30 cents for each general admission.

"Adeline, you know you don't have to pay every time," Bucky said as they walked into the park.

"I know I don't, but I want to," she responded. Her family was much better off than either Bucky's or Steve's. Both of her parents had good paying jobs and Adeline always wanted to treat her boys.

"Come on, let's go on the Cyclone first!" Adeline said, grabbing both Steve's and Bucky's hands, pulling them toward her favorite ride.

"Maybe I'll go get a hot dog," Steve said once Adeline and Bucky got in line.

"Oh, no you don't," Adeline said.

"Come on, Steve, you gotta ride it at least once with us," Bucky said.

"I don't like roller coasters," Steve responded.

"You haven't even tried it," Adeline groaned. "Come on. If you don't like it, you don't have to do it again."

"Promise?" Steve asked.

"Promise," Adeline said.

"Fine, but just this once," Steve said.

"Yes! You're going to love it!" Adeline exclaimed.

They finally got seated in a car. Adeline and Bucky were in the last car, Steve ahead of them, sitting next to an eager 10-year-old boy. The car lurched to a start and Adeline was bouncing with excitement. Bucky smiled at her, loving that something so simple could make her so excited. They escalated slowly and Steve got more nervous.

"I hate you guys," Steve said as they rounded the top, suddenly plummeting down and Adeline let out a shout of joy. The ride felt too short for Adeline but too long for Steve. He staggered off the ride on unsteady feet, clutching his stomach.

"You okay, Steve?" Bucky asked as he and Adeline helped their friend.

"I am never do-" His words were cut off as he turned to a garbage can and threw up. Bucky and Adeline glanced at each other, realizing their mistake. Adeline rubbed Steve's shaking back as he spat into the trash.

"I am never doing that again," Steve finished, straightening up.

"It's alright," Adeline said, patting his shoulder.

"I think I'm just gonna head home," Steve said, still looking ghostly pale, his stomach undoubtedly still churning.

"We can walk you home," Adeline offered.

"Yeah, we can come again a different day," Bucky said.

"No, no," Steve shook his head. "I'll be fine, guys. You two have fun. I'll see you later." He didn't give the two friends a chance to argue as he walked toward the exit, leaving both Adeline and Bucky standing together.

"I shouldn't have made him go on that stupid ride," Adeline said as they walked through the crowd.

"Neither of us knew he was going to lose his lunch," Bucky pointed.

"I know, I still feel bad though," Adeline said. "It's always been the three of us here. It's weird without Steve."

"Remember when we hated each other?" Bucky asked as they continued to walk.

"Yeah," Adeline chuckled. "I can't remember how many times we were sent to the director's office for getting into fistfights." Bucky laughed, shaking his head.

"Yeah, me neither," Bucky responded. "Do you remember when that changed?"

"No?" Adeline said, unsure of where this was going.

"When you got attacked by that dog at Fat Al's," Bucky said as though he had thought about it long and hard before.

"Oh, yeah?" Adeline questioned. "What changed that day?"

"I just realized how much life would suck if our trio wasn't a trio anymore," Bucky shrugged.

"It sounds like you're flirting with me, Barnes," Adeline said with a smile, looking up at the dark haired boy. He scratched the back of his head nervously and chuckled.

"No, no, it's just you and Steve are my two best friends," Bucky said. "I just want you to know that."

"Thanks," Adeline said with a bright smile. "I could say the same for you. Come on, we haven't done the Ferris Wheel yet." Adeline grabbed Bucky's hand, pulling him through the crowd. The line wasn't long as they soon got seated. The ride took them above all of Brooklyn as they got a perfect view of the setting sun.

"Bucky, I want to go somewhere," Adeline said, staring out at the ocean.

"And where do you want to go?" Bucky asked, looking at Adeline.

"Anywhere," Adeline responded. "I want an adventure. Something I can write down and look back and say that I did that."

"Adventure," Bucky laughed, shaking his head. "I pray to God that I will never have an adventure." Adeline looked at Bucky, confused.

"Why?" Adeline asked.

"Have you ever read an adventure where everyone makes it out alive?" Bucky questioned, looking at Adeline. When Adeline couldn't come up with a response, Bucky looked back over the water. "Exactly. You should wish for the same. A quiet, safe life." Adeline sat back in the seat, pondering Bucky's words. Adventures were tragedies.

**~*~**

Within the month of June, Bucky began spending his time with a girl named Gertrude Phillips, leaving Adeline and Steve to fill their summer with activities that didn't include Bucky.

"I don't like her," Steve said as they walked around the park.

"Neither do I," Adeline agreed. There was a slight breeze from the east, causing Adeline's dress to catch on her legs.

"What does he see in that woman?" Steve asked.

"Beats me," Adeline responded as they stopped at an ice cream vendor. Steve got vanilla and Adeline got chocolate. "She only likes him because he's popular, if you ask me."

"Yeah," Steve agreed, licking his ice cream. "He should be with someone much better than her. Someone actually fun."

"You have someone in mind?" Adeline asked, curious as to who Steve would pair him with. Adeline would personally place him with Joyce Caldwell, one of Adeline's friends that didn't get on her nerves and was grounded enough for a man like Bucky.

"Yeah, isn't it obvious?" Steve asked.

"I was thinking Joyce," Adeline said. "Joyce Caldwell. You know, the one with the bouncy blonde hair ..."

"Yeah, I know who she is, but that's not who I was thinking about," Steve said. "You really are oblivious."

"What? What do you mean?" Adeline asked, looking at Steve.

"He should be with you, obviously," Steve said, taking another lick off his ice cream. Adeline was about to laugh until she saw how serious he was.

"Wait, you're serious?" Adeline asked.

"Yeah," Steve said casually. "I mean, you guys have been friends for as long as I can remember and I see the way you two look at each other."

"What are you talking about? One: we hated each other for at least the first ten years of our lives and two: we don't look at each other in any way," Adeline said. Steve shrugged.

"Whatever," Steve said. "I just think you two would be good for each other.

"Well, it's not happening," Adeline said a bit too bitterly. Maybe Adeline was just a  _little_ bit jealous of Gertrude, but that was it. She wasn't head over heels for Bucky. They were just friends after all. At least that was what she thought. But, did Bucky really look at her differently than any other girl? Now that Steve had mentioned it, that was all Adeline could think about. The rest of the day was spent in silent thought. So silent that her mother was even concerned.

"Adeline, dear, aren't you going to eat?" Marie asked. Adeline snapped from her daze to look down at her full plate.

"Yeah, yeah, sorry," Adeline said.

"Are you feeling alright?" Marie asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I've just been thinking about something Steve said to me," Adeline said distractedly.

"Oh, speaking of Steve," her mother began, "are him and James going to be coming for dinner this Saturday?"

"Oh, uh, I'm not sure," Adeline responded. "Steve will be here but I don't know about Bucky. He's got a new girlfriend." Her mother raised her eyebrows.

"So that's what has got you so distracted tonight," Marie said.

"What? No," Adeline responded a little too quickly. "No."

"Adeline has a crush," Jack, the youngest of the family teased.

"Shut it, you little punk,' Adeline scolded through gritted teeth. "It's not a crush. He's a friend."

"Just ask them next time you see them," Marie said. "That way I know how much food to make. The Lord knows two growing boys eat as much as a couple of horses."

"Sure," Adeline said, looking down at her plate once again. "I'm actually not that hungry, I think I'm just going to go to bed."

"Okay," her mother said hesitantly as Adeline got up and walked to her third-floor room. She lay on her bed, not even attempting to close her eyes. She already knew that she wasn't going to get any sleep that night. Instead, she got up, walking out to the balcony, watching over Brooklyn, hoping that the noise of the city would distract her from her thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey, Steve, are you and Bucky coming for dinner at my place this Saturday?" Adeline asked Steve as they sat on a park bench. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and it was a comfortable temperature to be outside.

"I'll be there," Steve said. "I don't know about Bucky. He seems a bit preoccupied, if you ask me."

"I know, but he should be able to get one free hour on a Saturday night," Adeline responded.

"Speaking of Bucky," Steve said, nodding over to where Bucky himself was walking with Gertrude. Adeline rolled her eyes at the sight of her clinging onto Bucky's side, batting her eyelashes like a lovesick puppy. They were walking in Steve's and Adeline's direction. Bucky was apparently too preoccupied with his new girlfriend to notice his two friends sitting on the park bench.

"Hey, Buck," Steve greeted as the couple came within earshot.

"Steve! Adeline!" Bucky said in surprise. "What are you two doing here?"

"Well, this is a public park and we do live in the same town so, I don't know. Give me your best guess," Adeline said with a hint of bitterness. Steve elbowed her in the side, giving her a warning glare. Adeline rolled her eyes, looking back up at Bucky. "Hey, my mom wanted to know if you're coming to the dinner this Saturday." Adeline continued to ignore the annoying leach on Bucky's right side, causing her to pout as she was not the center of attention anymore.

"Oh, that's this Saturday already?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah, Steve's coming," Adeline said.

"Oh, uh -"

"Buck, remember you promised me we would go see that new picture this Saturday," Gertrude said, tugging on Bucky's arm, her big brown doe eyes simply melting Bucky's heart.

"Right, I'm sorry, Adeline," Bucky said. His response made Adeline's heart drop. "I did promise Gertrude that I'd take her to a film. Tell Marie I say 'hi' and I'm sorry for missing it." Gertrude smiled as they began to walk away, resuming their gossiping.

"Unbelievable," Adeline said once the couple was out of earshot. "Bucky never misses one of my ma's dinners."

"Like I said before," Steve began, "I don't like her.

**|Wednesday, July 4, 1934|**

"Happy Birthday, Steve!" Adeline said, hugging the small boy who was now 16. She handed him a small gift and he graciously set it on the counter.

"Thanks, Adeline," Steve said, smiling.

"Where's Bucky?" Adeline asked. "He always beats me here."

"I'm not sure," Steve shrugged. "He said that he'd be here." So they waited. Ten minutes turned into twenty, then forty. Finally, they gave up and ate without him.

"I can't believe he actually forgot,' Adeline fumed as Steve and Adeline walked past Fat Al's Salvage Yard. They all suspected he got a new dog but none of them were ever willing to check it out. "It's the Fourth of July, for heaven's sake!"

"Adeline..."

"He's such an ass!" Adeline continued as the sun began to sink below the horizon and the mosquitos began to come out, buzzing about in the still of the evening. "We are his best friends, Steve. His  _best friends_. And he thinks that he can just blow us off because he found a new dame? Next time I see him, he's going to have a black eye."

"Adeline," Steve said, finally shutting Adeline up. "Can we just let it go? Please?" Adeline breathed, trying to calm herself.

"Yeah," she sighed, "sorry, I just ... He's such an idiot." Steve looked at Adeline with a knowing glint in his eye. they arrived at the park, spreading their blankets for the firework show. Adeline was still silently fuming, furious at Bucky for forgetting his best friend's birthday. As if on cue, Adeline spotted Bucky walking with none other than Gertrude Phillips. They were weaving their way through the seated crowd, looking for a good spot.

"You have  _got_ to be kidding me," Adeline mumbled, getting up. Steve quickly grabbed her wrist.

"Adeline, leave it," Steve pleaded.

"Steve, I said that the next time I see him, he's gonna have a black eye, I keep my promises," Adeline said, pulling away from Steve. She marched up to Bucky, her fingernails digging into the palms of her hands.

"Adeline?" Bucky questioned once he saw the furious look on Adeline's face. She balled her fist and punched him square in the nose. People around watched the interaction, their mouths agape while Bucky tried to stop his bleeding nose.

"You complete ass!" Adeline yelled. "You idiot! Screw you and your girlfriend! I hate you! You jerk!" She punched him on the shoulder, causing him to draw back further. Bucky finished wiping his face as Adeline continued to fume. He grabbed her upper arm, dragging her away from the gaping crowd to the edge of the woods.

"What the hell?" Bucky demanded, his grip was tight around her upper arm, revealing how angry he was.

"What the hell? Really?" Adeline questioned angrily, yanking away from his grip. "I should be the one asking you that! You left your best friend on his birthday! You remember him? Steve? Oh, and I'm here too. My name is Adeline Adams, pleased to make your god damed acquaintance." Adeline held out her hand for a handshake, quickly bringing it to his face, slapping him across the cheek. He groaned, placing a hand over his cheek.

"Oh, God, that was today," Bucky breathed. "I'm so sorry, I - I just forgot."

"Oh, right, you forgot," Adeline said sarcastically. "Everything is forgiven."

"Really?" He asked, bringing his hand down from his cheek.

"No!" Adeline shouted, slapping him again.

"Okay! Okay,"  Bucky said, grabbing her upper arms, holding them to her sides so she wouldn't hit him again. "I'm sorry."

"It's the Fourth of July!" Adeline hissed. "How could you forget that? We do this every year! What's your deal? Is Gertrude carrying your first child or something? You're glued to each other!"

"No! She's not ... You really think I'm that kind of person, Adeline?" Bucky asked.

"I'm not really sure what to think, James," Adeline retorted. Bucky winced, knowing she was mad when she used his real name.

"Okay, Adeline, I'm sorry, I really am," Bucky said.

"Tell that to Steve, not me," Adeline said. "He's the one you stabbed in the back.

"Okay, okay. It's just - the reason I've been spending so much time with Gertrude, well I think she's the one," Bucky stuttered, his cheeks glowing red at his confession. Adeline would've laughed if it wasn't for the seriousness in Bucky's voice. He couldn't be serious. "Adeline?" Bucky asked, shaking her a bit.

"Fine," Adeline said quietly, staring into Bucky's brilliant blue eyes. "Fine, I understand. You don't have time for your friends."

"Adeline, that's not -"

"I said I got it!" Adeline snapped, slapping his hands away from her shoulders. "Just don't come crying to me when she breaks your heart." There was a loud bang, causing Adeline and Bucky to look to the sky which erupted in color. "Go enjoy the show." Adeline walked away, leaving Bucky standing at the edge of the forest, dumbfounded as the fireworks continued to echo throughout the night. She walked back to Steve, picking up her blanket and storming off. Steve looked back, shocked, quickly following his friend.

"Adeline!" Steve called. "Adeline wait up!"

"Leave me alone, Steve!" Adeline called back as she quickened her pace.

"Adeline come on," Steve said as she felt his hand in hers, tugging her to a halt. He turned her around, seeing her watery eyes. "What happened?" Steve's voice was soft and it invited Adeline to open up.

"She's the one,' Adeline replied thickly, angrily wiping away a tear.

"What?" Steve asked.

"Gertrude," Adeline said. "She's the one Bucky loves."

"Adeline," Steve said sympathetically, pulling her in for a tight hug.

"I hate him so much," Adeline mumbled into Steve's shoulder. What Adeline hadn't realized, and had yet to figure out, was that in order to hate someone with as much passion as Adeline hated Bucky, she had to love him equally as much. And she hated him. A lot.

**~*~**

Adeline felt numb for a few weeks after the Fourth of July incident and Adeline and Bucky went back to sharing Steve. It was early May of 1935 and it was Adeline's day to walk home with Steve. However, when she came into view of Steve's locker, Bucky was leaning against the locker just next to Steve's, his back turned toward Adeline. She huffed, thinking that maybe she should just leave without Steve to avoid confrontation. Instead, she swallowed her pride and walked toward the two boys with her head held high.

"James, what are you doing here?" Adeline asked, her voice tight. "It's my day with Steve."

"I think you two should talk," Steve said, hesitantly closing his locker, looking between the two.

"No, Steve, don't -" Adeline began to follow the small boy, but she stopped when she realized that if she did leave Bucky, she would never hear the end of it from Steve. Adeline sighed, turning slowly to face Bucky who was not the Bucky she always saw in her classes. His eyes were red and his shoulders slouched forward.

"Well, are you dying?" Adeline questioned.

"No," Bucky said with a small smile.

"Then can I go?" Adeline asked.

"You know, I've missed that sharp tongue of yours," Bucky said.

"Yeah, well you should've thought about that before you replaced Steve and I with that new dame of yours," Adeline responded. Bucky's small smile fell upon the mention of Gertrude.

"Yeah, about that," Bucky said. "We're not together anymore." Adeline felt a hint of pity for him. He looked crushed, he really cared for her and Adeline suddenly felt like she had been completely irrational about this whole ordeal. However, all the times Steve and Adeline were replaced by his clingy girlfriend outweighed her pity.

"Congratulations," Adeline said in a monotone voice. "How does it feel to be replaced?" Bucky looked down, rather ashamed.

"Adeline, I'm sorry," he said. "I was being such an ass."

"If you're looking for forgiveness, you're looking in the wrong place, Barnes," Adeline said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"No, I just want us to get along again," Bucky said and Adeline shifted, thinking it over in her head. She wanted her Bucky back. The fun Bucky that would always do crazy stupid things with her and Steve. "If not for me, then for Steve. Let's just get along for Steve." Adeline slowly nodded her head.

"Fine, for Steve," she said. "But I'm still mad at you, James Buchanan Barnes." Bucky smiled, nodding his head.

"Understood," he said. They walked out together, enough space between them and slowly, things started to fall back into place.

**~*~**

Graduation came faster than anticipated for both Adeline and Bucky alike. They were definitely on better terms now that they both had their heads on straight. Bucky hadn't had another girlfriend since Gertrude; He really took their breakup hard. He had found out that she had been going out with another man for the whole month of April. Adeline felt bad that the breakup had to go sour, but she was silently and guiltily glad that Gertrude was out of the picture. It was the day of graduation. Adeline was in her best dress and Bucky was in his best suit and tie.

"Happy graduation, Adeline," Bucky said, pulling out a small box from behind his back, holding it out to her.

"You didn't have to get me anything," Adeline said, taking the box.

"Of course I did. You're my best girl," Bucky said with a wink. "Also, I know you got me something."

"What? How'd you find out?" Adeline asked, looking up at him.

"Steve," Bucky responded with a chuckle. "He's a really bad liar." Adeline laughed, giving Bucky his gift. He opened the box to reveal a blue silk tie that reminded Adeline of his eyes.

"Thanks," Bucky said, a smile on his face as he was already taking off his old, stained tie, replacing it with the silk one. Adeline then opened hers to reveal a beautiful gold ring.

"Bucky," Adeline breathed, looking at the simple gold band. "How did you get this?"

"Steve helped," Bucky said, shuffling his feet. "It's a graduation gift from the both of us."

"Bucky, I love it," Adeline said, sliding it on her right ring finger. She pulled Bucky in for a hug and he gladly reciprocated.

"I'm glad you like it," Bucky said. She pulled away, noticing his poorly tied tie. She untied it, adjusting it, then tightening it.

"There," she said, folding the collar of his shirt over the tie so it looked sleek. "Now you look like a true gentleman." He chuckled, looking down at his now properly tied tie.

"Adeline I -"

"Alright, let's get in line!" Mr. Jameson, now older, called over the chatter of the graduating students. "James, Adeline, come on, in line. I never thought I'd see you two graduate." Bucky and Adeline chuckled, getting in line.

**|Saturday, July 13, 1935|**

"So, Adeline," Adeline's Aunt Deloris began, "When can we expect children?"

"Oh, well I'm going to be going to college," Adeline responded as politely as she could. "NYU actually." Adeline's whole family was in town to celebrate her graduation and she was overwhelmed. This was the fourth relative to ask when she was having children and each time she had to dodge the question.

"A woman such as yourself shouldn't be going to college," her Uncle Benjamin said. "You should find a husband and settle down."

"I'm sure your parents are going to want grandchildren soon," her Aunt May said.

"A pretty girl like you shouldn't have any problem finding a good man."

"You're going to have beautiful children." All Adeline could do was nod and smile. She was just dying for Bucky and Steve to get here so she could talk with them instead of being told what a good mother she would be.

"I've heard you've been hanging around with Bucky Barnes lately,' her cousin Charlotte said, sitting down next to Adeline at the kitchen counter. "When's that going to happen?"

"What do you mean? We're just friends," Adeline responded.

"Oh, come on, Adeline," Charlotte said. "He's a looker, I wouldn't blame you. Besides, you two have been the talk of the town. You're always together.

"Oh, yeah?" Adeline asked, taking a sip of her champagne.

"Oh, yeah," Charlotte responded. "Come on, you two can't just be friends. Especially with the way he looks at you. It could make any girl melt!"

"He doesn't look at me in any way," Adeline said. "I promise, Charlotte, we're just friends."

"Whatever, darling," Charlotte said, turning in her seat to look over the mingling people. "Speak of the devil." Adeline turned around in her seat to see Bucky and Steve weaving their way through Adeline's relatives. Bucky's eyes lit up upon finding Adeline. She instantly got up, leaving Charlotte behind.

"Bucky, Steve I'm so glad you guys could make it," Adeline said, wrapping her arms around Bucky then Steve.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Bucky said with a smile.

"Good, because everyone keeps asking me when I'm having children," Adeline mumbled. Both Bucky and Steve burst out laughing, causing Adeline to scowl.

"Well, when are you expecting? Who's the father?" Bucky asked.

"Stuff it, Barnes," Adeline responded with a laugh.

"Hey, Steve and I were wondering if we could take you dancing tonight if you're not otherwise occupied," Bucky said, looking around at the party.

"My God, yes," Adeline said.

"Oh! Your boyfriend is handsome!" Adeline's Aunt Judy exclaimed, pinching Bucky's cheeks between her fingers and kissing his forehead, leaving a bright red stain. "Come, come, let me tell you a bit about Adeline so you're not surprised when you join the family." Judy led Bucky to the parlor and he looked back at Steve and Adeline helplessly. Adeline's mouth was agape and Steve was laughing next to her clutching his stomach. Dinner seemed to go by too slow, yet it was entertaining for Bucky and Steve.

"So, which one is your boyfriend?" Adeline's grandfather asked from across the table.

"Neither one, grandfather," Adeline said, tired of hearing the question.

"Well, what's a young lady like you doing with two fine young men?" He asked.

"They're just friends, grandfather," Adeline said and her grandfather scoffed.

"I may be old but I'm not blind," he said.

The last relative finally left, leaving Adeline, Bucky and Steve along with Adeline's immediate family.

"Ready, Miss Adams?" Bucky asked, holding out his arm for Adeline.

"Absolutely, Mr. Barnes," Adeline said with a laugh, lacing her arm with Bucky's

"Your family is fun," Steve said as the three walked to the dance hall.

"Yeah, try living with them," Adeline responded dryly.

"It's nice that you have them all there for you though," Bucky pointed.

"Yeah, I suppose," Adeline said. "Sometimes they're too 'there for me'."

"Hey, when are you having children again?" Steve asked with a smile. Adeline punched his shoulder, laughing nevertheless. They made it to the dance hall, the band already playing upbeat music. Adeline smiled, grabbing Steve's and Bucky's hands, dragging them up the stairs into the main hall. Off to the sides there were bars filled with people. Everyone had a drink in their hand as the smoke hung low in the room from the cigarettes. The girls were laughing, sitting on the men's laps, taking long drags from their cigarettes.

"Might I have this dance?" Bucky asked, holding his hand out for Adeline. However, before accepting, she looked back at Steve, unsure.

"Go on, I'll watch," Steve said with a smile. Adeline eagerly turned back to Bucky, placing her hand in his. He led her out to the dance floor and they fell in with the beat. They began swinging in and out, Adeline laughing. This was where she belonged, this was where she felt at home. She was with the two men she loved and things couldn't be any better. After a few songs, Bucky went to get drinks for them while Adeline and Steve sat at a small table close to the dance floor.

"You know, he really cares about you," Steve said as they stared out at the dance floor.

"And I really care about the both of you," Adeline said.

"Adeline, you don't get it," Steve said, looking at Adeline. "He really cares about you. More than two friends should."

"We're just friends," Adeline said, continuing to look away from Steve.

"That's shit and you know it," Steve said. "If you don't do something about it, it's gonna be like Gertrude all over again."

**|Monday, September 2, 1935|**

It was Adeline's first year in university and she tested into a higher level debate class. She had almost regretted not heeding Steve's advice to do something about Bucky. He had a new girlfriend come July of 1935. It wasn't any of her business and she knew it wasn't but she couldn't help but get jealous. Adeline knew it wasn't fair to Bucky to continue leading him on so she decided to push her feelings to the back of her mind as she made her way to her first class of first year. She walked into the large lecture hall, looking around, seeing only men in suits sitting in the seats. Adeline huffed as the men looked at her like she was from another planet.

"You must be Miss Adams," the relatively young male professor said.

"Yes, professor," Adeline responded.

"Could I have a word with you?" He asked gesturing to the hallway.

"Is there a problem, sir?" Adeline asked, adjusting her books in her arms.

"I'm just concerned about this class," he said, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his very expensive pants.

"What about it? I assure you I am perfectly capable of this level of debate," Adeline said. "If you talk to my high school professors, I'm sure they would -"

"That's not what this is about,' he cut her off. "If you haven't noticed, not many women are in this program. It's more of a male profession to pursue this sort of political science."

"I can assure you that teaching a man will be just the same as teaching a woman," Adeline said tightly, glaring up at the professor.

"I know you are capable of this Miss Adams. I simply fear you will be a distraction," he said, cutting straight to the chase. Adeline bit her lip, anger boiling beneath her skin, threatening to burst out.

"Well, what would you like me to do?" Adeline asked, trying to keep her anger at bay.

"I am encouraging you to seek out other options," he said gently.

"So, I'm not allowed to be in this class because I'm the only woman?" Adeline asked, her anger seeping though.

"I'm simply saying -"

"And I'm simply saying that I can do anything any of these men can do, if not better," Adeline snapped. "So don't hold your breath." Adeline walked back into the lecture hall, taking a seat as far away from the group of men as possible.

On most days, Adeline kept to herself as best she could. She was already on the professor's bad side and she didn't want to make it any worse. However, there was only so much she could do. She led a quiet first semester and aimed to do the same for the second semester. However, that all changed mid March of 1936.

"Adeline Adams, right?" One of the men asked after class as Adeline was collecting her books and papers.

"That's me," Adeline responded, barely pausing to look up at the man.

"I'm Thomas," he said, obviously not planning the conversation to go this way.

"Okay," Adeline said, walking around him.

"Hey, wait," Thomas called, jogging to catch up to her in the hallway.

"What?" Adeline asked, stopping and turned to Thomas, giving him her full attention. He wasn't hard on the eyes. He had sharp cheekbones and dark brown hair. It wasn't as dark as Bucky's but it was darker than her chestnut brown. He had hazel blue eyes and wasn't in bad shape. Adeline guessed he went to the gym after classes.

"I was just wondering if you would help me study," he said sheepishly. "Everyone knows you have the best marks in the class." Adeline raised her eyebrows, rather surprised. Most men these days asked her how much she cost per hour.

"Oh," Adeline said, letting her surprise show in her voice. "Yeah, sure. Uh, how about the coffee shop on 57th street. Be there tomorrow at seven."

"Seven, perfect," he said, scribbling a note to himself on his notebook. "Thank you, Adeline." Adeline turned and walked out the door, a stupid smile on her face.

**~*~**

It was seven in the morning and both Adeline and Thomas were there by 6:30. They had their books open and coffee in front of them by 6:40.

"Yeah, that one," Adeline said, pointing to his textbook.

"I hate the textbook questions," Thomas mumbled as he read the next question.

"Tell me about it," Adeline sighed.

"You skipped a class, you can't tell me that this is hard for you," Thomas said with a playful glint in his eyes.

"It comes naturally to me," Adeline said with a shrug.

"This is university, Adeline, nothing just 'comes naturally'," Thomas accused. "So what's your secret?"

"I don't have one," Adeline laughed. "I study."

"But how do you study is my question," Thomas said.

"Well, usually with my friends," Adeline responded. "I don't just sit in my room and stare at the book."

"Oh, right, Barnes," Thomas said. "Are you two...?" Adeline laughed, shaking her head.

"No, we're just friends," Adeline responded.

"There's an awful lot of talk about you two," Thomas said. "And it's not about you two being 'just friends'."

"We've known each other since the first year of school, of course we're close," Adeline explained. "Hate to disappoint, but there's no romance between us." Thomas' eyes shifted to Adeline's scar, silently asking if someone was the cause of it. Adeline shifted, placing her hand on her lap so the scar was out of sight.

"Excuse me for staring," Thomas said, his face flushed.

"It's fine, I really shouldn't be hiding it," Adeline said. "It's really a stupid story."

"Care to share?" He asked. "I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to."

"No, no, it's fine,' Adeline said with a chuckle. Adeline retold the story of Fat Al's dog causing them both to end the story in a fit of laughter.

"I told you it was stupid," Adeline exclaimed.

"Bucky actually made you go over?" Thomas asked, beginning to sober.

"Yeah, that punk wasn't man enough to check it out himself and I was so damn eager to prove myself to the jerk that I went and got myself this." Adeline showed off her scar.

Every morning without fail, Adeline and Thomas went to the café on 57th street for a cup of coffee and a study hour. Those study sessions soon turned into something more. They almost always ended up talking about something other than what was in their textbooks or what was on their next exam.

**|Monday, October 5, 1936|**

"So I hear you really found someone. And don't try to brush it off this time. I know you've been seeing someone," Bucky said as he walked with Adeline after some time in the park. It was dusk and the sun was just setting, causing the sky to explode into beautiful colors. The leaves were on the ground and winter was just around the corner.

"Yeah, he's real nice," Adeline admitted. She never really talked about her relatively new relationship with Thomas, fearing that it might put a damper on their friendship. "What about you?"

"I'm just concentrating on my job right now," Bucky responded. He was acting rather distant and it bothered Adeline.

"That's understandable," Adeline said. "How is your job anyway?"

"Alright," he responded with a shrug. "It pays the bills." Adeline wasn't surprised when Bucky had found a job over at Goldie's Boxing Center as a trainer. He was good at it and both Adeline and Steve were proud of him. They fell into a silence. There was almost never silence between the two friends, at least never one so heavy. She finally stopped, Bucky stopping next to her.

"If you want to say something, just say it," Adeline said.

"What do yo mean?" Bucky asked.

"You're acting weird," Adeline said.

"Weird?"

"Yeah," Adeline said. "I feel like you're not telling me something. You okay, Buck?"

"I was hoping Steve would tell you tonight, but obviously, seeing as he's not here, I guess I have to," Bucky said.

"Tell me what?" Adeline asked nervously.

"It's Sarah," Bucky said. "She's in the hospital."


	4. Chapter 4

"What? Since when?" Adeline questioned. "What happened?"

"Adeline, calm down," Bucky said, holding her shoulders. "She's alright for now, but I don't know how long she's gonna hold on. She's real sick, Adi."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Adeline accused.

"I just found out this morning and I wanted you to hear it from Steve," Bucky said. "Plus, I didn't want you to worry."

"Well, I'm worried now," Adeline said.

"I know, I know," Bucky said, running a hand though his hair.

"Can we visit her?" Adeline questioned. "We should go."

"Adeline, no, I tried," Bucky said, gripping her wrist. "They're only letting family in."

"We _are_ family, Buck," Adeline said.

"I know, but the doctors don't see it that way," Bucky responded, his calm blue eyes boring into her chocolate ones. "The best thing we can do right now is support Steve." Adeline huffed, nodding numbly.

"What happens if she doesn't make it?" Adeline whispered. Bucky pulled Adeline in for a hug, rubbing her back.

"We just have to be there for Steve no matter what happens, alright?" Bucky said. Adeline nodded her head against Bucky's chest. His scent enveloped her, making her feel at home and safe.

**|Thursday, October 15, 1936|**

Steve came home to find Adeline and Bucky asleep on his couch, their bodies pressed up against one another. He didn't want to wake them up with the bad news. He was right there when her hand fell from his, her heart finally stopping, giving in. He would've sat there all night if it meant his mother was still alive.

"Steve," Bucky greeted in a soft morning voice.

"Hey, Buck," Steve greeted, hanging up his coat.

"How is she?" Bucky asked, carefully moving Adeline so she wouldn't wake up. Steve didn't want to tell him. In Bucky's world, Sarah was still alive.

"She's gone," Steve's voice broke, his eyes welling up with warm tears.

"Steve, I'm so sorry," Bucky said, wrapping his arms around his small friend who hadn't yet cried for his late mother.

"We can stay if you'd like," Bucky said, wrapping his arms around his small friend who hadn't yet cried for his late mother.

"We can stay if you'd like," Bucky said.

"You don't have to, I can get by," Steve said, wiping tears from his eyes.

"We're your friends, of course we have to," Bucky said. "Go get some sleep. It's been a long day." Steve didn't have the energy to argue. He simply sauntered to his room, crashing on the lumpy bed. His clothes still smelled like the hospital room, sending another wave of grief over him.

Bucky walked back to the couch, bending down next to Adeline as he rubbed her shoulder gently, slowly waking her up. Her eyes fluttered open to meet Bucky's blue eyes.

"Buck? What time is it?" Adeline asked, sitting up slowly.

"Three," Bucky said. "Steve just got back. Sarah's gone." Adeline gasped, tears filling her eyes, pulling Bucky in for a tight hug. He rubbed her back in comforting circles as she cried quietly into his shoulder.

**|Sunday, October 18, 1936|**

It was the day of the funeral and Adeline wore a black dress while Bucky and Steve wore their best suits. Adeline sat between Bucky and Steve, holding onto their hands, swallowing the rising lump in her throat. She stared at the ground as the pastor went on with his eulogy. She soon canceled out the pastor's voice and Adeline sat in a saddened silence. Bucky began rubbing circles against the back of Adeline's hand as quiet tears rolled down her rosy cheeks.

It was a cloudy day as they took Sarah's casket out of the small church. Adeline stayed in the chapel, staring at the empty spot where Sarah's casket once was.

"They both deserved better," Adeline mumbled, sniffling a bit, resting her head on Bucky's shoulder.

"Yeah," Bucky responded. "All we can do now is be there for Steve." Adeline nodded her head numbly against Bucky's shoulder.

"Yeah, that's all we can do," Adeline said. "I hate it."

"Me too, doll, but that's the best we can do," Bucky responded. "Come on, we should find Steve." Adeline looked up, only to find that Steve was nowhere in sight.

"He probably went to the cemetery," Adeline said in a knowing voice.

"Alright, come on," Bucky said.

They were soon waiting for Steve at the bottom of his apartment stairs, trying to talk about anything other than the funeral. Steve came into view, walking with his hands in his pockets and his head down.

"We looked for you after," Bucky said in a solemn voice when Steve came into hearing range. "My folks wanted to give you a ride to the cemetery."

"I know, I'm sorry," Steve said as they walked up the stairs that were just about falling apart. "It's just..." Steve trailed off, patting his pockets for his apartment key.

"We can put the couch cushions on the floor like when we were kids. It'll be fun. All you gotta do is shine my shoes, maybe take out the trash," Bucky said as Adeline kicked over the stray brick on the ground, picking up Steve's spare key.

"Come on, Steve," Adeline said, handing Steve the key.

"Thank you, guys, but I can get by on my own," Steve responded, glancing between his two friends.

"Thing is, you don't have to," Bucky responded, patting Steve on the shoulder. "We're with you 'till the end of the line, pal." This caused Steve to crack a small smile, though not reaching his eyes, it made Adeline and Bucky feel slightly better. Steve closed the door behind him, leaving Adeline and Bucky alone.

"How 'bout a drink? Bucky asked as they walked down the stairs.

"That sounds amazing," Adeline responded.

**~*~**

"You know, I don't even care anymore," Adeline said drunkenly. "He's just being an idiot."

"I think you've had enough, Adeline," Bucky said, trying to take Adeline's half empty glass. However, before he could take it away, Adeline slapped his hand away.

"You're funny," Adeline said, taking another long drink. "I like you."

"That's a relief," Bucky mumbled, taking a sip of his drink.

"What, you don't like me?" Adeline asked.

"Not right now," Bucky said quietly, earning a punch on the shoulder.

"I have a boyfriend, stop flirting with me," Adeline scolded.

"I'm well aware," Bucky responded. Adeline slammed her glass down on the bar, causing Bucky to jump in his seat.

"Another one, bartender," she called, waving her hand up in the air.

"Where's she putting all this stuff?" The bartender asked, taking yet another empty glass, filling her with another. Bucky simply shrugged, knowing he'd be the one to carry her home.

"Dance with me, James," Adeline slurred, standing on unsteady feet, attempt to pull Bucky off his seat.

"It's Bucky," he mumbled.

"Whatever, come on," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his back, pulling him.

"I thought you had a boyfriend," Bucky said causing her to stop pulling.

"Oh, right," she said. However, she got a mischievous glint in her eyes. "What he doesn't know won't kill him," she whispered into his ear. This caused Bucky's eyes to widen, not believing the words that were coming out of Adeline's mouth.

"Come on, Adeline. Let's get you home before you do something you'll regret," he said, turning and hooking his arm around her waist, guiding her out of the bar.

"I have a boyfriend, James. He wouldn't like you holdin' me like this," Adeline said. Bucky rolled his eyes, walking out into the crisp October air. Bucky took off his jacket, draping it over Adeline's shoulders.

"Such a gentleman," Adeline slurred.

"Yeah, I get that a lot," Bucky said, deciding to keep the conversation going.

"Wow, Adeline said, looking up at him. "You're really pretty. Are you my boyfriend?"

"No, Adeline I'm not," Bucky said with a small smile.

"Well, you should be, you're handsome," she said. "And nice. Will you go on a date with me?"

"No, Adeline, I'm not your boyfriend," Bucky said, steering her around the sober couples.

"That's a stupid excuse," Adeline pouted.

"Not really."

"Uh-oh," Adeline said, stopping.

"What?" Bucky asked as Adeline doubled over, throwing up in the alley to her left. Bucky sighed, rubbing her back, blocking her from the pedestrians. "Alright, you're alright."

**~*~**

The next morning, Adeline woke up with a sharp pain in her head and an aching body. She groaned, rolling over to feel a warm body next to her. She gasped, her eyes flying open to see Bucky. He was in her bed. Shirtless. She sat up quickly, causing her head to spin.

"James?" She questioned loud enough for him to jolt awake. "What the hell are you doing in my bed?" She looked around the room, seeing clothes scattered around the room. Bucky sat up, groaning. "Jesus Christ, put some clothes on! We didn't... Oh my God!" Adeline quickly got out of bed, stepping away from him.

"No! No, Adeline," Bucky said, getting up and pulling on his pants. "You were drunk and I got you home."

"That doesn't explain why you're in my bed!" Adeline hissed, trying to tame her hair in the mirror. "Or... how I got into my night clothes? James!"

"Your dress was full of vomit! I wasn't going to leave you in that!" Bucky said, buttoning up his shirt. "And you asked me to stay!"

"And did you really think that I meant that?" Adeline asked.

"Ouch, Adeline," Bucky said.

"You know what I mean," Adeline groaned.

"You were crying! I didn't want to say no! There was no right answer in that situation," Bucky said. "I was just looking out for you." Adeline took a deep breath, rubbing her temples.

"Okay, okay, but you're sure we didn't do anything?" Adeline questioned.

"Adeline, I wouldn't do that, you know me," Bucky said, slightly hurt.

"I need something for this headache," Adeline mumbled, searching through her night stand. "Oh my God!"

"What?" Bucky asked, turning to look at her from fixing his hair.

"I need to go! I supposed to meet Thomas at the café!" Adeline said, rushing to get ready. "Okay, how do I look?" Her hair was sticking up at ever possible angle and her eyes were red with dark circles around them. Bucky opened his mouth then closed it.

"Do you want an honest answer?" He asked with a sheepish smile. Adeline groaned, going to the bathroom to try to freshen up.

Adeline arrived at the coffee shop five minutes late.

"I'm so sorry, Thomas," Adeline breathed, sitting down across from him. "I just had a busy day yesterday and I overslept and -"

"Adeline, it's fine," Thomas said with a smile. "I heard about your friend's mom. I'm sorry." Adeline smiled gratefully.

"Thank you," Adeline said, placing her hand on top of his.

"I also heard about you and Bucky," he mumbled after. Adeline sighed, closing her eyes.

"Nothing is going on between James and I," Adeline assured.

"Then why did he get comfortable in your apartment last night?" Thomas asked. This was the last thing Adeline wanted to talk about, but here it was. She knew it would come up sooner rather than later. Her unusually close relationship with both men was always a concern for her boyfriends.

"I was ... drunk," Adeline admitted hesitantly.

"You don't drink, Adeline."

"Things have been a bit stressful if you haven't noticed," Adeline snapped, causing Thomas to sit back in shock. "Sorry. I'm just ... A lot of things have been going on. I figured a drink or two couldn't hurt. That turned into three then four and Bucky brought me home.

"It's fine, I shouldn't have brought it up," Thomas said apologetically.

**|Wednesday, June 2, 1937|**

"Thomas has been acting weird, Steve," Adeline said, sitting on Steve's floor while he drew on his bed.

"Ask him about it," Steve responded distractedly.

"He asked me out tonight," Adeline said.

"And that's weird, why?" Steve asked.

"I don't know," Adeline admitted. "He's never very crafty when it comes to dates, but he sounded off."

"Maybe he's changed," Steve said.

"Yeah, that's what scares me," Adeline admitted. "Thomas is good at being plain old Thomas."

"Well, go ask him about it," Steve suggested again.

"Why are you so good at relationships?" Adeline said, rolling her eyes as she rested her chin on the edge of his mattress.

"Because I'm not in one," Steve said. "Gives me and 'outsider's' point of view." Steve chuckled as Adeline threw a pillow at him.

"Thanks, Rogers," Adeline said as she walked out of his room with an eased conscious. Thomas picked her up that night. He was silent the entire car ride, causing Adeline to feel uneasy. Suddenly, she wasn't as sure as she was before.

"Thomas, are you okay?" Adeline asked finally.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Thomas said, scratching the back of his neck, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Are you sure? You've been acting ... not like yourself," Adeline said honestly.

"I said I'm fine, Adeline. Don't worry about it," Thomas said, giving her a half smile. Adeline sighed, sitting back in her seat, knowing that pushing the matter wouldn't do her or Thomas any good.

They arrived at a fancy restaurant and he held open the door for her. The waiter led them to a table at the center of the bustling restaurant. Nothing looked extraordinarily special and Adeline looked at Thomas expectantly.

"Adeline," Thomas began, "I- I just wanted you to know that I love you, so much."

"I love you too," Adeline said hesitantly. This sounded like a break up.

"Which is why I'm doing this," Thomas said. "You have made this past year of my life something special and I wouldn't have made it this far without you."

"Thomas, what are you saying?" Adeline asked, waiting for the line. However, he got down on one knee pulling out a velvet box and Adeline was frozen.

"Adeline Marie Adams," he began. No, she knew she couldn't marry Thomas. She always knew she couldn't - wouldn't marry him. "Will you be my wife?" She wasn't in love with him. She quickly tried to imagine herself in a white gown, walking down the aisle to find Thomas at the end. She tried to imagine a house, kids and a life with Thomas. But every time, it wasn't him.

"No," she whispered.

"What?" He asked, still holding out the ring to her.

"I'm so sorry," Adeline said, walking out as fast as she could, her hand covering her mouth, pushing down the painful lump in her chest. She heard him calling her name, but she didn't stop.

Adeline let her feet carry her to Goldie's Boxing Center where Bucky worked. The hours listed it as closed, but Adeline knew Bucky would be there. She opened the door to hear a single boxer. Her clicking heels caused the repetitive hits to stop. Bucky came into view. He was sweaty, the only article of clothing were his shorts. His dark hair was stuck to his forehead and his chest glistened with sweat.

"Adeline? What are you doing here?" Bucky asked.

"Give me something to hit," Adeline demanded.

"Adeline, you can't be here, this is a men's boxing center," he said.

"James, give me something to punch or I swear it will be you," Adeline said, losing her patience. Bucky opened then closed his mouth, eventually leading Adeline to the back corner where there was a punching bag hanging from the ceiling.

"Let me get some wraps," he said, turning to grab some wraps from his bag. However, Adeline couldn't wait that long. She punched the bag as hard as she could, finding it relieved some of her anger. She hit it again, and again, and again. She hit it until her hands were bleeding.

"Adi!" Bucky called as she came down from her high. "What has gotten into you?" He grabbed her wrists revealing her cut and bruised knuckles.

"Thomas," Adeline breathed.

"What did he do?" Bucky asked in a dark tone.

"He - he had ..." Adeline couldn't finish as a lump began rising in her throat with oncoming tears.

"Adeline, what did he do?" Bucky asked in an urgent tone.

"He had a ring," Adeline said, barely above a whisper. "He asked me to marry him."

"Oh my God," Bucky said, hanging his head. "I thought he hurt you."

"I said no," Adeline whispered, as tears began streaking down her cheeks.

"You what?" Bucky asked.

"I don't love him, James," Adeline cried. "I couldn't - I couldn't say yes. There's something wrong with me. I tried to love him, Bucky. I really did. But I couldn't - I can't."

"No, nothing's wrong with you, Adeline," Bucky assured. "It's alright." He pulled her in for a hug, her head resting on his bare chest.

"I should've told him before," Adeline cried. "I should've said something. I should've  _known_. I just really liked him, I thought he could be the one. I thought I could just make myself love him."

"Hey, it's alright," Bucky said, rubbing her back.

"I'm such an idiot," Adeline cried.

"You're not an idiot," Bucky assured her.

"You're just saying that to be nice," Adeline mumbled against his chest.

"No, I'm not," Bucky said. "You're smart and amazing and beautiful and the best friend I could've ever asked for." She sniffled, pulling back to look into his blue eyes.

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me," she said, felling comforted in his arms and by his words. She pulled away, wiping away her tears that stained her rosy cheeks.

"We are not leaving here until you smile," Bucky said sternly.

"Bucky, I'm exhausted," Adeline said, her voice still thick with tears. "I just want to go home."

"Nope," Bucky said. "You've got to smile. Come on." His hands traveled to Adeline's hips, up to her sides, causing her to laugh.

"No, Bucky!" She was laughing so hard, she fell to the floor, Bucky on top of her. "Stop!" She could hardly breathe, laughter taking over. Bucky stopped, his hands resting on either side of her head. His eyes were sparkling with laughter and he had a too big smile for his face, but it was contagious.

"I hate you," Adeline said, a smile still on her face.

"I hate you."

**~*~**

The rest of the summer was spent at Coney Island or at the dance halls. Adeline soon got over Thomas and she hoped that he got over her too. She found that he had switched schools from NYU to Georgia. She constantly thought of the ring. He deserved someone who could truly love him. As the days went by, Adeline became more and more convinced that she wouldn't be able to love anyone. She was already 20 years old without a husband let alone a love interest. It was May 21st, 1938, her 21st birthday and she was spending the beautiful spring day in the park alone.

"I hear someone's 21 today," Bucky's voice came from behind and Adeline turned around, a smile painting itself across her face.

"Well, you heard wrong," Adeline teased as Bucky sat next to her on the bench.

"What's a pretty dame like you doing all alone on a day like this?" Bucky asked.

"A fella done me wrong," Adeline decided to play along.

"Oh, yeah?"

"It's not his fault thought," Adeline continued. "He's a looker, I don't blame him for going out. He's got the most beautiful eyes and an awful sense of humor."

"You think I don't have a sense of humor?" Bucky asked, looking over at her with a smile.

"Oh, no, you have one, it's just bad," Adeline responded with a smile.

"Thanks, Adams," he said, his smile soon faded, gathering a serious persona. "Have you heard the news in Europe?"

"Germany?" Adeline questioned.

"Yeah," Bucky responded. "My parents are nervous."

"So are mine," Adeline said. " _I'm_ nervous. If the U.N. can't keep Germany in check, there's going to be another war."

"Then let's hope that that doesn't happen," Bucky said, a smile returning to his face. "Before I forget. I have a surprise for you." He pulled out two tickets, flashing them to Adeline.

"Carnegie Hall?" Adeline questioned excitedly. "No way."

"Yup," Bucky confirmed with a smile. "Benny Goodman himself is going to be there. These were the last two tickets."

"Oh my God!" Adeline exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Bucky's shoulders. "You're the best!"

"Does this make up for my lack of humor?" Bucky asked jokingly.

"Most definitely," Adeline responded with a smile. "But, what about Steve?"

"He's got something planned for you," Bucky said with a smile.

"You know, don't you," Adeline said.

"Of course I know," Bucky said. "He's really excited about it."

"Well, are you going to tell me?" She asked, pulling on Bucky's hand.

"My lips are sealed," Bucky said with a chuckle. "But, he did help pay for these tickets. So, that's part of it."

"You're impossible," Adeline said, rolling her eyes.

"But you love me," Bucky said with a cocky smirk.

"Stuff it, Barnes," Adeline said with a chuckle.


	5. Chapter 5

Steve knocked on Adeline's door, excited to celebrate her birthday. Adeline opened the door, smiling as she saw Steve, pulling him in for a hug.

"Steve," she greeted, kissing his cheek. "Bucky told me you'd be by." He smiled, holding something behind his back. He walked in before giving her a small sketch pad.

"Happy Birthday, Adeline," he said as she took the sketch pad and opened it to the first page. It was of Adeline and Bucky, a portrait that stopped just below their shoulders. They were smiling and Bucky held her close.

"Oh, Steve," Adeline breathed, a smile pulling on her lips. "They're beautiful."

"Just in case you were wondering how he looks at you when you're not looking," Steve said. Adeline's cheeks turned red, flipping through the other drawings, some of just her, or just Bucky and even some of Steve himself. She pulled Steve in for a tight hug.

"This is the best birthday gift you've ever given me," she said with a smile.

"I'm glad you like it," Steve said, hugging her back.

"Oh," Adeline said, pulling away, "and thank you for helping Buck get those tickets. It means a lot."

"It was no problem," Steve said with a modest shrug. "I wanted you and Bucky to do something special together."

"Have I ever told you how much I love you, Steven Grant Rogers?" She asked, pulling him in for another hug. The rest of the day, Adeline spent talking with Steve.

"Thank you for the amazing birthday, Steve," Adeline said as they returned to her apartment from the park.

"It was fun," he said. "Now go have fun tonight. Do me a favor and dance with Bucky."

"I promise," Adeline said with a smile. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. He smiled before shoving his hands in his pockets, walking back to his apartment. Adeline rushed into her apartment, getting ready for the night.

**~*~**

Adeline danced in the streets while Bucky watched, his eyes glistening with love.

"You liked it?" Bucky asked as Adeline spun again. Her feet were sore, but she felt lighter than a feather.

"It was amazing!" She exclaimed, grabbing Bucky's hands, spinning him around with her. They both laughed and Adeline intertwined her fingers with his as they walked happily down the busy streets of New York. There was no moon or stars in the sky as the clouds, heavy with rain, covered them. The cool air made Adeline shiver, but she didn't mind. She was with her best friend, high on the music.

"Thank you, Bucky," Adeline said as they walked, seeing if they could catch a taxi to the train station. "This was beyond amazing."

"I'm glad," Bucky responded with a smile. Just then, the sky opened up and rain poured down. Adeline laughed as Bucky pulled her along under an overhanging roof. However, she was already soaked and so was Bucky. His groomed hair was stuck to his forehead and Adeline's once perfectly curled hair was heavy with water.

Bucky laughed, brushing her hair out of her eyes. God, he was so beautiful. His blue eyes were simply stunning and he was right there, in front of Adeline. the 21 years of waiting was threatening to spill. Both Adeline and Bucky could feel it. Bucky held her close and it was intoxicating. This feeling was better than any alcohol Adeline could buy. He began to lean down and Adeline would've let it happen, but there was a harsh honk of a horn.

"Hey! You two need a ride?" The driver asked through the rain. Adeline pulled back, laughing, glancing at the kind driver.

"Yeah, you got room?" Adeline asked.

"Yeah, come on! The rain's only gonna get worse," the driver said. Adeline rushed to the taxi, scooting in as Bucky got in after her.

"The train station please," Adeline said, well aware of Bucky's eyes still on her. The driver was right as they drove, the rain got worse. Bucky got out first, pulling Adeline along quickly through the heavy rain.

"If I would've known it was going to rain, I would've brought an umbrella," Bucky said with a crooked grin as raindrops slid down his face.

By the time they got home, it was already one in the morning and Adeline's eyes were burning with fatigue. Bucky walked her to her apartment and they stood in front of the door. The sidewalk was filled with puddles but the rain had went from a drizzle to completely stopping.

"Really, thank you, Bucky," Adeline said.

"Yeah, it was no problem," Bucky responded.

"If you'd like, I can set up the couch for you," Adeline offered. Bucky glanced down at her lips, biting his own, knowing he wanted to accept the offer.

"I don't know if I should," Bucky said hesitantly.

"Come on, James, it's late," Adeline said, grabbing his hand. "Stay." Knowing the night impaired their judgement, Bucky was hesitant. However, he slowly nodded his head, allowing Adeline to guide him into her apartment.

"Goodnight, James," Adeline said, handing him a pillow, blanket and an extra set of his clothes.

"Goodnight, Adeline." Adeline bit her lip, finally getting on her toes, kissing his cheek then quickly retreating to her room. Bucky was left standing in the parlor, stunned and smiling.

**|Saturday, December 24, 1938|**

It was Adeline's last year in college. She would graduate with a degree in political science. Many told her over and over that she couldn't do it, that it was a man's job. However, that was only half of the battle. She knew all too well that she wouldn't find a job that would accept women. Being a politician was a man's job.

"I just don't know what to do," Adeline said to William, her older brother, as they walked around the snowy city. It was bitter cold and Adeline hugged her long coat close to her body. People walked about, all trying to get last minute Christmas gifts for their loved ones while staying out of the cold.

"You'll find something, I know you will," he said.

"Yeah, a single 21 year old woman with a useless degree," Adeline retorted.

"You're at the top of your class, I'm sure somewhere would take you, woman or not," William said.

"Easy for you to say," Adeline responded. "You're a  _man_ working for the government."

"Hey, that reminds me," he began, pulling out a flyer from his jacket pocket. He handed her the sheet of paper and Adeline flipped through it.

"A desk job?" Adeline asked.

"Hey, it's a start," William said.

"William, you know I can't leave Brooklyn," Adeline said, seeing that it was a job from D.C.

"Adeline," William began, "if you want a good job you're gonna have to look at places other than Brooklyn." Adeline sighed, looking at the flyer again. "Think about it," William encouraged. And that's what Adeline did. She thought about it for hours. If she took this job, that would mean that she would have to leave both Bucky and Steve. She tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. She eventually got out of bed, putting on a dress and undoing her curlers. She quietly went out of her apartment and made her way to the only person that could ease her mind.

She knocked on the door to Steve's apartment again.

"Steve!" Adeline whisper yelled. "Steve, come on! It's cold!" She heard shuffling and finally the door was opened. To her surprise, Bucky was on the other side.

"Bucky?" Adeline questioned. His hair was a mess as he ran a hand through it, just waking up. Bucky was the last person she wanted to see at this hour of the morning.

"Adeline, what are you doing here?" He asked. "It's three in the morning."

"I just ... couldn't sleep," Adeline said. "What are you doing here?"

"Steve had a drink, brought him home," Bucky responded. "Did you walk here?"

"Just let me in you punk, it's cold," Adeline said, pushing Bucky to the side.

"So, what are you really doing here?" Bucky asked as she sat on the couch that he had been sleeping on.

"I told you, I couldn't sleep," Adeline said.

"Yeah, I got that, but what's the rest of the story?" Bucky pried.

"There's nothing else to add. I just have an overactive mind right now," Adeline said quickly. "Stop interrogating me, Barnes."

"Okay, okay," Bucky said, holding up his hands in defeat, walking to the kitchen to get a glass of milk. He walked back in, leaning on the door frame, his shirt hung off of him loosely and the street lights cast a sickly yellow light across his face.

"You wanna talk?" He asked, snapping Adeline from her daze.

"No," Adeline said, knowing that once she started to talk, she wouldn't be able to stop.

"What's got you in such a bitter mood?" Bucky asked. "You're the one who came banging on the door at three in the morning." He ran a hand through his messed up hair causing Adeline to bite her lip.

"I'm just scared," Adeline admitted.

"Of what?"

"What's coming after this," Adeline said softly, her gaze focusing on her hands that rested on her lap.

"After what?"

"University," Adeline said. "I'm going to have a degree in political science. Not exactly a woman's job."

"I'm sure you'll find something," Bucky responded, sitting next to her. He really was oblivious. Adeline didn't want to tell him that in order to get a job, she might have to leave. It was too early in the morning to make such decisions. It was also too early to be making decisions on their relationship. She would've kissed him already if she didn't know how the night impaired her mind.

"Yeah, I'll find something," Adeline echoed, staring into his eyes, then down to his lips. "I really should be going." Adeline got up quickly, trying to avoid what she wanted so badly.

"Adeline, it's freezing out there," Bucky said, getting up after her, blocking her exit path. "You can take the couch."

"I really should be going," Adeline said again. "I haven't got any night clothes and I just really have to go." Adeline weaved around him, wanting to give in. However, Bucky's hand clasped around her wrist, pulling her back.

"Stay," Bucky said, his soft blue eyes convincing her. She nodded her head silently as he pulled her back to the couch. "Here," he said, tossing her a white t-shirt. "Sorry, it's the only one I've got."

"It's fine," Adeline said softly. It must've been the shirt he had worn that day as it smelled heavily of his cologne. Not that Adeline minded, it just made it harder for her to stay away from him. She went to the bathroom to change and she soon came out to find that Bucky was making his space on the floor with blankets.

"Buck," Adeline started and Bucky looked up from his task, his mouth hanging slack. "You don't have to sleep on the floor. You can take the sofa." Adeline waited for a response, but got none. "Bucky?" She asked.

"What?" He asked distractedly.

"I'll take the floor, you take the sofa," Adeline said again. He smiled, shaking his head.

"Not a chance doll," he said. "What kind of gentleman would I be if I let a pretty dame such as yourself, lie on the floor while I took the sofa?"

"A pretty bad one, I would assume," Adeline said with a slight chuckle. She took the sofa, covering herself with a thin sheet and sinking into the pillow that smelled like cologne, warm cotton and a hint of the soap Bucky always used. Adeline could feel Bucky's eyes lingering on her. She could almost hear the gears turning in his head. Soon she felt a warm hand on her shoulder and soft lips come in contact with her temple.

"Goodnight, Adeline," he whispered. Adeline could only hum a response before she fell into a deep sleep.

**~*~**

It was Christmas Day and Adeline's whole family was over as well as the Barnes' and Steve. Adeline really wanted just a moment alone with Steve, but in a houseful of relatives and Friends, it was hard. Adeline handed Bucky his drink as she took a sip of hers.

"Thanks, Adeline," Bucky said, taking the drink from her.

"Steve, could I have a moment with you?" Adeline asked.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Steve said, rather unsure.

"What's wrong, Adeline?" Steve asked as Adeline shut her door, taking a deep breath. She went over to her nightstand, pulling out the pamphlet for the job in D.C.

"What is this?" Steve asked, hesitantly taking it.

"It's my future," Adeline said. "Well, that's my only option other than being a housewife."

"And these are your only two options?" Steve asked, clearly upset.

"Steve, please, don't be man," Adeline pleaded.

"I thought you always said that everything you ever needed was right here in Brooklyn," Steve accused, looking at the pamphlet.

"That was a long time ago," Adeline responded. "I'm not going to get a job here in Brooklyn. You know that, and I think Bucky knows that too."

"What about Bucky?" Steve asked.

"What about him?" Adeline questioned. "You and Bucky can function just fine without me. I know you can."

"No, Adeline, he's in love with you!" Steve shouted, tossing the pamphlet to the side. "You just can't see it, can you?"

"Steve," Adeline said softly.

"Adeline, come on," Steve said. "You can't seriously be considering this." Adeline didn't respond, she simply looked at Steve with sad eyes. He shook his head, walking past her. Adeline rubbed her temples, picking up the pamphlet. She sat down on her bed, placing her head in her hands. Was it really worth it? To leave her friends, to leave everything behind. She wasn't going to find a job in Brooklyn. She had known that for a while now, not wanting to admit the harsh truth.

"Adeline?" There was a soft knock on her door. Adeline looked up to see Bucky standing in the doorway.

"What?" She asked, sniffling.

"A pretty dame like you shouldn't be alone on Christmas Day," he said with a small smile.

"Steve told you?" Adeline asked.

"Yeah," Bucky responded, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I figured this day would come sooner rather than later."

"I think we've all known for a while," Adeline responded as Bucky walked further into the room. He looked at the wall to his right where there were pictures pinned up of the three of them throughout the years.

"I remember when this one was taken," Bucky said, pointing at one of the older photos. Adeline looked at the photo Bucky was looking at. Adeline had a wrap around her right arm from Fat Al's dog, Bucky was in the middle, and Steve was on the right of Bucky. All three were smiling brightly and they had dirt on their faces. "You had that wrap on your arm, but that didn't stop you from climbing up that sycamore tree in the park." Adeline gave him a small smile. "When you came down, you punched the kid who said you couldn't do it."

"Yeah, that was when things were simpler," Adeline said. Bucky chuckled, looking down at his feet.

"I know I can't stop you from going to D.C. and neither can Steve," Bucky said, pausing for a moment. "I guess part of me always hoped that you'd be able to settle down, maybe have a family, but I know that's not you."

"Bucky..."

"And I guess that's why I was ... am always drawn to you," Bucky continued, looking back at the black and white photos pinned up on the wall. "Because I can't have you. Because you aren't the kind of woman who does what she's told. And no matter how much I don't want you to go, you should because if you didn't, you wouldn't be the Adeline that I grew to love. That wouldn't be you." Adeline looked at Bucky in astonishment. No words could describe how she felt. She was lost, her heart shattering into pieces, knowing she would have to leave him. He sighed, sitting next to her on the edge of her bed, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face.

"Say something, Adeline," Bucky begged, looking from her eyes to her lips. Adeline didn't have anything to say as his thumb brushed her cheek. She was at a loss for words.

"Buck," she said softly, bringing her hand to cup his cheek. Her heart pounded against her chest as blood rushed to her face, turning her cheeks pink. She could smell his cologne and the champagne he was drinking before off his breath. She could hear his breathing, slightly increased than what it was before. Her hand moved from his cheek to his chest, feeling his heart beneath his suit jacket, keeping her chocolate gaze on his ocean eyes. He slowly leaned in, pressing his lips against hers, softly at first. Adeline's lips worked with his as her heart beat rapidly and her stomach filled with butterflies. She placed her hands on either side of his face, holding him close as she fell back against the mattress, pulling Bucky on top of her. Bucky was the first to pull away, resting his forehead against Adeline's.

**|Wednesday, May 31, 1939|**

Neither Bucky nor Adeline talked much about the kiss. Neither of them were sure how to pursue anything after that. However, as the day for Adeline's departure for her job in D.C. grew nearer, the more she didn't want to leave. She had, surprisingly, been accepted for the job at the White House as one of President Roosevelt's personal advisors. She was thrilled with the job and so were Bucky and Steve, but they were all less enthusiastic when it came to her parting.

"Maybe you don't have to go," Bucky said as they stared up at the stars. Bucky had taken her to the outskirts of the city where they could actually see the stars. Steve insisted that he would stay back, claiming he felt ill, but Adeline knew that he was just trying to get them together.

"If I could stay, you know I would, Buck," Adeline responded, shifting from her position on her back to her side so she could look at Bucky.

"I know," he said softly. "I just don't want you to leave. Steve doesn't want you to leave."

"Hey, I'm only gonna be five hours away," Adeline said. "You guys can come visit me or I can come back for a weekend." There was silence between them and Adeline shifted to her back to look up at the stars.

"You remember when we first met?" Bucky asked.

"It was at Steve's right?" Adeline asked.

"Yeah, Steve had invited both of us to his place, thinking that we'd love each other," Bucky laughed.

"I think that was my first fistfight," Adeline admitted.

"Really?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah, I was five years old, how many brawls did you think I got in before that?" Adeline asked with a chuckle.

"I don't know, you were pretty good," Bucky said with a smile. "Hey, I have something for you. A parting gift." Bucky sat up, feeling around in his pants pockets. He handed a small box and inside was a thin gold chain.

"Bucky, you didn't have to," Adeline said. It wasn't much, but it meant everything to Adeline.

"They sell charms at that little jewelry shop a few blocks from the park. If you wanted, we could pick one out some time," Bucky said, his cheeks pink with embarrassment.

"Bucky this is perfect," Adeline said with a smile.

"I don't know what Steve and I are gonna do without you," Bucky admitted with a nervous laugh.

"You two will get into enough trouble," Adeline said with a small smile. "Make sure to write to me."

"Of course," Bucky responded. "Anything for you, doll."

**|Thursday, June 1, 1939|**

The train station was bustling as people were returning and departing, trying to keep track of their baggage. The smell of oil and machinery took over the platform as well as the noise from both the trains and the people made it hard to concentrate.

"You have everything?" Marie asked.

"Yes, mom," Adeline said.

"I love you." Marie was close to tears as she hugged her only daughter. "We are all so proud of you. Say 'hi' to William, okay?"

"I will," Adeline responded and Marie kissed her on the cheek again. Adeline hugged her two younger brothers and her father until she got to Steve and Bucky.

"Stay safe out there, Adeline," Steve said, trying to be supportive of his friend.

"I will as long as you two stay out of trouble," Adeline responded, trying not to let her tears spill. She gave Steve a tight hug.

"I will miss you," she said so only Steve could hear. She then turned to Bucky, pulling him in for a tight embrace.

"Keep an eye on him for me," Adeline whispered

"I always do," Bucky responded as she breathed in his scent. She pulled away, wiping at her eyes, willing the tears not to fall. She grabbed her travel bags, turning around. She handed them to the assistant who brought them into the train car. Adeline willed herself not to look back, but she did. She looked to her family then to her two best friends. Steve's hands were shoved in his pockets, trying not to look sad. Bucky however, looked close to tears, yet refusing to let them fall. Adeline ran back, pulling Bucky and Steve in for the last time.

"Don't forget me," Adeline said softly.

"How could I forget my best girl?" Bucky asked, with a watery smile. The whistle on the train blew, signaling its departure.

"Go on, you'll miss it," Bucky urged. Adeline waved one last time before walking onto the train. She looked out the window as the people she loved grew smaller and smaller. The last person to turn their back was Bucky


	6. Chapter 6

**|Tuesday, July 4, 1939|**

This was the first year that Adeline wasn't going to celebrate Steve's birthday with him. She had sent him a package a week ago, hoping that it would get home in time. Adeline was just about ready to tear the hair out of her head. She was constantly stuck behind a desk, writing up reports, schedules, reading letters then later responding to those same letters and the typewriter was never working so she would have to go find someone to fix it for her. She was just about the only woman who had a job of authority (granted that authority she had was limited) and many men looked down on her with looks of disapproval.

"Mr. President," Adeline said as she spotted him walking through the hallways. Her heels clicked on the marble floor to keep up. "Your itinerary for today."

"Thank you, Miss Adams," he said, accepting the handwritten schedule for the Fourth of July day. "Busy day today."

"Yes, sir," Adeline said. "If you want me to move anything, I can arrange that."

"No, no, this is perfect," he said.

"Mr. President, there is a line from France," a man in a suit said. "It's urgent."

"How urgent?" Roosevelt asked.

"Brink of war urgent," the man said quietly.

"I will leave you," Adeline said. "Don't forget about the cabinet meeting at ten." The two men walked off, leaving Adeline in the grand hallway by herself. She made her way back to her desk. She usually missed breakfast these days, there was always so much to do.

"Miss Adams, here are your daily mailings," a maid said, setting a pile of letters on the desk.

"Thank you," Adeline said.

"You look ghostly pale, miss, did you have something to eat this morning?" The maid asked.

"No, but I'm fine, really," Adeline said with a smile.

"Oh, nonsense, what would you like?" She asked. "We have plenty of food. How about some fruit and a muffin?"

"Thank you," Adeline said with a grateful smile.

Soon it was ten and Adeline was walking briskly next to the president, holding papers close to her chest. The room went quiet upon their arrival. The cabinet was full of men in high authority, many having military pins and stripes while others wore their expensive suits with pride. Adeline was sure that the silence was not the cause of President Roosevelt's presence but because of her's.

"Miss, I am going to have to ask you to step outside, these matters are for authorized personnel only," one of the men said, gesturing to the door.

"Excuse me, sir, but I have just as much of a right to be here as you," Adeline said, not having any patience for the egocentric man. "I am President Roosevelt's personal assistant and advisor so, I suggest you get your hands off me before I take them off for you." The man turned slightly pale at Adeline's aggression and stepped back. She sat to the right of the president and organized all of her papers on the table.

"My apologies for my harsh words, Mr. President," Adeline mumbled, earning a slight smile. The meeting consisted of Adeline taking notes and making sure she had all the necessary papers and documents.

"As you can see, Mr. President, there is nothing to worry about in Europe," the man standing at the front of the long table said. Many men mumbled in agreement, but Adeline held her tongue.

"No one takes Hitler seriously, not even Germany. He's a puppet if you ask me," another said.

"Shouldn't that make him dangerous?" Adeline asked, looking around at each man who had a surprised look on their faces.

"Miss..."

"Adams. Adeline Adams," Adeline responded.

"I do think you're overstepping your boundaries," the man at the front of the table said.

"And I don't think you're listening to me," Adeline responded calmly. "When Hitler became Chancellor in 1933, everyone thought Germany would crumble further. They haven't. Don't you think it's time to stop acting like this is a joke? People are dying. April 1st, 1933, June 30th, 1934, November 9th, 1938. Just as a few examples. And each one even worse than the previous."

"You did your research, Miss Adams," the man said coolly.

"I've been keeping track of a lot of things, sir, and patterns happen to be my strong suit,' Adeline said. "This is a war. Maybe not to us yet, but to many out there, it is. And I fear that, soon, it will become our war. If we don't want another World War, we should act now, not in aggression but-"

"Enough!" The man said forcefully. "You are a woman and you are out of your place. I suggest you check yourself."

"With all do respect, sir, I graduated top of my class in four years from New York," Adeline said. "I suggest you listen to what I have to say."

"This will not result in war! Hitler is a clown," another man said. "He's insane!"

"Which makes him dangerous, don't you see?" Adeline asked, forgetting that she wasn't in Brooklyn anymore, forgetting that she couldn't simply punch her way to victory. "I've studied leaders like Hitler, I know what's coming next, the question is if you are ready to accept it and do something about it." Adeline was fuming as she stood up, her fists balled and she turned on her heel, needing to get out of the conference room before she punched anyone. Adeline found herself taking a long walk out in the garden, hoping to calm her nerves. She knew what was going to happen, but she couldn't make them see it. The sun was out, making the colors of the garden seem brighter than usual.

"Miss Adams, correct?" A voice sounded behind her.

"That's me," Adeline responded, turning around to see a broad man in a Marine's uniform. His dark head of hair was closely cut and groomed. His face was thin and bony. Adeline guessed he served in the Great War as his almost golden eyes were old and wise.

"General Robert Grant. You had a lot to say in that conference room," he said.

"My apologies, general," Adeline said. "I got carried away."

"No, no, don't apologize,' he said. "I agree with you."

"Thanks for the help," Adeline mumbled, not intending the general to hear, but he chuckled.

"I wanted to see how far you would go," he responded.

"So, what? Was that a test?" Adeline questioned.

"Yes," the general responded. "Which is why I'm proposing this offer. There is an organization that is looking for people such as yourself."

"What kind of organization?" Adeline asked.

"The M.O.R. or the Military Operatives Reserve," the man responded. "We need agents, Miss Adams, a thousand military troops can't always get the information as effectively or as efficiently as one undercover agent. The enemy is more likely to suspect the man of carrying the gun than the woman. I'm sure you understand."

"Yes, I think I do," Adeline responded.

"I think you would be a perfect fit in our ranks," the general said. "You would get specialized training and the pay is good. I can tell sitting behind a desk doesn't suit you." The general's eyes shifted to Adeline's scar on her right forearm. She shifted, keeping the arm behind her back.

"How long do I have to think about it?" Adeline asked.

"As long as you need," the general responded. "Just remember, Miss Adams, the world needs people like you. Good people." He gave Adeline a slight bow then turned to walk away.

**~*~**

Adeline was taking the train home after a long and grueling day and the general's words continued to ring in her head. She walked into her apartment to be surprised by the warm smell of food coming from the kitchen.

"Hello?" Adeline called.

"Adeline!" William exclaimed. "I thought you got done with work at six."

"I usually do, but today was busy," Adeline said.

"Come on in, I made supper," William said.

"William, what are you doing here? Do you not remember that you have an apartment of your own?" Adeline asked with a slight chuckle.

"Of course, I remember. I just wanted to do something nice for my baby sister," William said, leading her into the kitchen. What greeted her vision surprised her. Steve and Bucky were sitting at the table, their plates already full.

"Steve, Bucky!" She exclaimed as they both got up from their chairs. She rushed to Steve first, placing two kisses on each of his cheeks. "Happy Birthday! Did you get my gift?" God, I missed you!"

"Yeah, Adeline, that was really thoughtful of you," Steve said with a smile. Adeline then turned to Bucky, pulling him down so she could wrap her arms around his shoulders.

"I missed you guys so much," Adeline said.

"I missed you too," Bucky responded. Adeline never knew William was such a good cook, his food made her forget all about General Grant's offer. By the time everything was cleaned and a program was listened to on the radio, it was already eleven o'clock. Steve and William went to his apartment across the hallway, leaving Adeline and Bucky sitting on the sofa alone.

"How are you liking your job?" Bucky asked. "And I want an honest answer, your government brother isn't here to judge you." Adeline laughed, shaking her head.

"It pays good," she responded. "All the men look at me like I have two heads, but it's what I signed up for. I guess I'm still waiting for that dream job offer."

"Well, what does that dream job include?" Bucky asked. That was when the words of the general came back. She could be in the field if she just said yes.

"I guess I'm not sure yet," Adeline responded. "But for now, this is just right. "What about you? How has Goldie's been?"

"Really good," Bucky responded. "Nothing new ever happens in Brooklyn. It was more exciting when you were there." Adeline wanted to tell Bucky how much he really meant to her and now would be the perfect time, but she couldn't bring herself to. Whenever she thought of something to say, it got caught at the back of her throat. The more she thought about Bucky, the more she wanted the simple life, the more she wanted that white picket fence and children and marriage. She was in deep, far too deep for her own comfort.

When she got back in the right state of mind, she realized she had been staring at his lips and he had leaned in a considerable amount so they could feel the heat of each other's breath. He brought his right hand up to brush her cheek with the pad of his thumb, causing Adeline to lean into his touch. He leaned in further, Adeline's eyes fluttering closed as their lips just barely brushed. She didn't know what she was doing as her fingers combed through his hair. His closeness had affected her more than she cared to admit as his lips pressed more firmly against hers. She loved the way his lips felt on hers. She was buzzing with the lightness of the kiss as he placed his other hand at the base of her neck, bringing her even closer. Adeline didn't want to ruin the euphoric moment but her hands went down to his chest, pushing him away. Their lips parted unwillingly and Adeline looked up at Bucky, his blue eyes filled with lust from the kiss.

"Adeline?" He asked softly.

"It's late," Adeline whispered back. "We shouldn't be doing this so late at night."

"You're probably right," Bucky responded, his voice strange as though the kiss had affected his vocal chords. Instead of bidding Adeline goodnight, he pulled her in, their lips coming together once again but more persistent this time. Adeline pushed against his chest again, not wanting to make any decisions tonight as to where their relationship stood. He reluctantly pulled back, looking into her brown eyes.

"We should go to bed,' Adeline said, keeping Bucky a fair distance away. "It's too dark out for this. We should wait until morning." Bucky chuckled a bit, brushing Adeline's rosy cheeks with the pads of his thumbs before kissing her on the forehead.

"Goodnight, Adeline," Bucky said.

"Goodnight, Bucky," Adeline responded as she watched him retreat into the guest bedroom. Adeline, drunk on the blissful kiss, made her way to her bedroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and briefly touched her lips almost feeling the electricity from the contact still linger.

**|Friday, September 1, 1939|**

Adeline was running through the hallways of the White House. She had abandoned her daily itinerary in search of President Roosevelt who was most likely in his office. People were giving her strange looks as she rushed past them though none of them stopped her.

"Sir, emergency meeting in the war room," she breathed as she burst into the office. "Germany has invaded Poland. Britain and France are on the line." They made their way briskly through the hallways and soon made it to the war room where the door was slammed in Adeline's face.

"Really?" Adeline mumbled. She silently debated on whether or not to open the door and let herself in or not. She was Adeline Marie Adams for heaven's sake! Of course she would burst in, but this wasn't Brooklyn.

"Men," a voice said, a bit ragged but kind. Adeline turned around to see Eleanor Roosevelt rolling her eyes as she walked up to Adeline. "They always think they know everything, don't they?" Adeline smiled a bit, letting out a small laugh.

"Apparently," Adeline responded.

"You know, if it was up to me, I'd march in there and set them straight,' Eleanor said. "They don't know what a powerful woman such as yourself can accomplish."

"Thank you, but it's not my place," Adeline said politely.

"A well behaved woman rarely makes history, Miss Adams," Eleanor responded with a smile and a knowing glint in her eye. She turned and walked away, leaving Adeline at the door. Adeline looked at the door, shaking her head.

She sat at her desk, trying to distract herself.

"You know, Miss Adams, I could really use a woman of your abilities right now," a voice broke Adeline from her concentration. She looked up to see General Robert Grant in the doorway of her office.

"General Grant," she greeted, standing up.

"Please, excuse my interruption," he apologized, taking a few paces into her office.

"No, no, it's fine, I was just ... trying to distract myself," Adeline concluded as he nodded.

"You know, there couldn't be a better time to join the M.O.R. What do you say, Miss Adams?"

"With all due respect, sir, I believe my place is here," Adeline said. She had thought long and hard about the offer, but whenever Bucky would come visit her, she always went back to him. She wanted a future with him and she couldn't do that in a job that required her to have two different lives.

"I understand," the general responded. "If you reconsider, you know where to find me. I'm sure you already know this but, Europe is officially at war."

"Thank you, general," Adeline said. The proud general looked 100 years older as he exited the office. His golden eyes were dull and his back slouched with the weight of impending war.

"General Grant," Adeline said, causing him to turn around. "I wish you the best."

"You as well, Miss Adams." He nodded his head and made his exit. Adeline couldn't help but feel guilty. All she wanted was to get out from behind the desk and she was turning down a job that would allow her to do that.

"Miss Adams, clear my schedule for tomorrow, we have other things to attend to," President Roosevelt said as he briskly walked into her office.

"Of course, would you like a schedule for that, sir?" Adeline asked, shuffling through her papers.

"No, no, it's fine, you take the day off," he said. "I think we all deserve it."

"Of course, sir," Adeline nodded as he walked out.

**|Saturday, December 23, 1939|**

Adeline had been so busy that she forgot it was almost Christmas. She promised both Bucky and Steve that she would be home but she wasn't sure that that would happen anymore. It was late and the snow fell heavily outside. She just sat at her desk, continuing to file, stack, sign and type papers. Her hands these days were always stained with ink.

"Miss Adams, what are you still doing here?" Adeline looked up to see President Roosevelt in the doorway.

"There are a lot of things to do, sir," Adeline responded.

"Tomorrow is Christmas Eve," he said.

"So it is," Adeline said, stacking another sheet of paper.

"You have family back home?" He asked.

"Yes, I do," Adeline responded.

"Go home, Adeline," he said.

"Sir, with all due respect, an impending war is more important than Christmas with my family," Adeline responded.

"That's exactly why you should go," he responded. "No one knows what's going to happen. Spend time with those you love. You'll regret it if you don't." With that he walked out, leaving Adeline dumbfounded.

"Yes, sir," she mumbled quietly, packing her things.

It was a beautiful night as the snow fell softly to the ground, making the roads sparkle. She hugged her coat tight to her body as she made her way to the train station. It was a quiet ride north as Adeline watched the snow out the window, occasionally making designs in the frost. Adeline arrived at the Brooklyn train station at one o'clock in the morning, shortly after, arriving at Steve's apartment.

"Steve," Adeline knocked on the door. "Steve, it's Adeline! Open up!" There was shuffling and an unlocking of the door.

"Adeline?" Steve questioned, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Steve, hey," Adeline said as he let her in. "Merry Christmas Eve."

"You had to tell me that at two in the morning?" Steve asked, locking the door again.

"I just got in from D.C.," Adeline responded.

"At two in the morning?" Steve asked.

"Well, I wasn't going to come," Adeline responded truthfully. "I have been so wrapped up in work, you know, the whole Europe conflict and I just felt guilty, you know -"

"Adeline, I get it, it's fine," Steve said. "Bucky'll be excited that you're here. He hasn't stopped talking about you."

"He hasn't?" Adeline asked, a blush spreading from her cheeks to her ears.

"Yeah, he's been looking forward to Christmas since the beginning of November," Steve responded, grabbing a blanket and pillow, handing them to Adeline so she could sleep on the couch. "It's just like he's five again waiting for Santa to come. I guess you could say those letters you two send just don't do it for him." Steve chuckled at the last part while Adeline's cheeks were burning up.

"How do you know we send letters?" Adeline asked.

"Every time he gets a letter, he comes straight to me so I can read it," Steve said. This made Adeline's blush deepen. "It's fine, your secret's safe with me."

"What secret?"

"That you two are dating," Steve responded.

"What do you mean? No we're not," Adeline denied.

"Adi, come on," Steve said. "I approve. I've been trying to get you two together since high school. And it's not really a secret. The whole town knows about it." With a yawn, Steve walked off to his room, surely to fall instantly back to sleep. However, for Adeline it was much more difficult. No matter what positions she tried, she couldn't fall asleep. She was thinking about Bucky. Everyone thought they were dating. Her and Bucky. She could imagine it.

**|Monday, December 25, 1939|**

"Merry Christmas!" Bucky cheered as he scooped Adeline up from behind, spinning her around.

"James Buchanan Barnes, put me down!" Adeline called through her laughs. He soon put her down to face him.

"Merry Christmas, Adeline," he said with a smile.

"Merry Christmas, Bucky," she responded.

"I brought you something," Bucky said, handing her a small box. "You can open it now, I won't tell anyone." Adeline smiled and opened the box. Inside was a small gold heart pendant.

"It goes on your necklace," Bucky explained.

"Bucky, it's beautiful," Adeline said. "Thank you." She unclasped the necklace, threading the heart and Bucky helped her re-clap it. She fingered the small charm that rested on her chest.

"Thank you," she said again, pulling him in for a hug and a quick kiss that no one saw. "I got you something, hold on." Adeline turned, rushing up to her old room to find the box. She quickly brought it down, handing it to Bucky. He opened it to reveal a men's cologne.

"It's guaranteed to impress those dames," Adeline said with a wink. Bucky laughed, smelling the scent.

"I'm only concerned about impressing one," Bucky responded with a smirk.

"Shut it, Barnes," Adeline laughed.

**|Friday, August 23, 1940|**

Bucky had come to visit her again. He would come once a month, usually with Steve, but this week Steve had gotten a nasty flu virus.

"You know, this job of yours keeps you really tied up," Bucky said, ordering another drink. The bar they sat in was rather full and the swing music played in the background of people's conversations.

"Yeah," Adeline sighed. "Sometimes I want to quit. The men there make me want to tear my hair out."

"Then find something else," Bucky said.

"There is nothing else," Adeline said.

"What keeps you there?" Bucky questioned, taking a drink, eyeing Adeline.

"I feel like I'm being useful," Adeline responded.

"Okay, now give me the real answer," Bucky said.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the real answer. That's not why you're staying, Adeline. I know you better than that," Bucky said. "The Adeline I know wants adventure."

"Well, people change," Adeline said.

"You never answered my question, doll," Bucky said, leaning in close to Adeline, making her look into his blue eyes. "What's keeping you there?" Adeline sighed, taking a large drink as to build up some courage.

"I want the simple life," Adeline admitted softly.

"The simple life? Adeline Marie Adams just said she wanted the simple life," Bucky said. "The world is truly ending."

"Stuff it, Barnes," Adeline said, punching him lightly on the shoulder.

"And what would this simple life include?" Bucky asked, looking at Adeline.

"I don't know. A house," Adeline said, not wanting to go any further.

"That's it?" Bucky prodded.

"And maybe a husband," Adeline muttered, her cheeks glowing red, her words becoming hesitant. "And some ... kids. You know what the simple life is, James! Why are you making me repeat it for you?"

"Because it's funny," Bucky said with a laugh, leaning slightly back in the bar stool.

"This time, I really will punch you, Barnes," Adeline said warningly.

**|Sunday, December 7, 1941|**

Adeline continued to tell herself that she was going to find her dream job when it was offered to her but she was still sitting in the same office with the same ink stains on her hands. She was content but not happy. However, her relationship with Bucky was just about as close as two friends could be. Well, that was a lie, it was more of a dating thing. He would come once or twice a month and somehow, they would end up together in her bed, content. Neither Adeline nor Bucky wanted to put any labels on it, especially if they were happy the way things were. She didn't need him to be calling her his girlfriend. She just needed him to be there for her just as she was there for him.

"Adeline, get President Roosevelt, Pearl Harbor has been attacked. Suspected Japanese," a man in a military uniform ordered urgently.

"What?

"Get President Roosevelt!" Adeline was soon on her feet running through the hallways.

"Mr. President!" Adeline called as she quickly burst into the meeting. Many men looked upon her with an ungrateful glare. Adeline breathed in then out, calming herself before continuing. "Pearl Harbor has been attacked."

"By who?" Roosevelt asked in a calm voice.

"Suspected Japanese," Adeline said. They were soon rushing to the war room. The door once again slammed in Adeline's face. By now she was used to it. There had been many developments of the war in Europe and Adeline had been excluded from every single one of the war meetings. She turned to walk away but the door opened.

"Adeline, are you coming or not?" Roosevelt asked. Adeline turned around, rather surprised before running into the room. The small space was buzzing with anxious chatter.

"Everyone, calm down!" Roosevelt's voice rose above the room and everyone became silent. "When did we receive this information?"

"1430 hours Washington time, sir," One responded. He nodded, taking in the information.

"This attack was intentional?" The president asked.

"All information leads us to believe so, sir," another responded, handing Roosevelt the telegrams from the Japanese declaring their intention to attack.

"Get Britain on the line," Roosevelt ordered, glancing over the telegrams that Adeline could see that they had been intercepted and deciphered well before the Japanese even sent them. They knew this whole time.

"Right away, sir." There were multiple questions, many of which no one had answers to. Adeline felt sick sitting in the room. She felt so far away, like she couldn't do anything. It was a feeling of having absolutely no control. She hated it. Adeline spotted General Grant across the room, his golden eyes revealing the weight of what was to come. She knew she could help if she just said yes. However, those three letters carried so much responsibility, so much commitment.

"Miss Adams, get the radio broadcasts ready," Roosevelt said. "The people need to hear this tonight."

"Of course, sir," Adeline said as she thought of Bucky. She knew he would go out to serve his country and she couldn't do anything to stop him. It was late that night and Adeline was still at her desk, sitting in front of a blank sheet of paper. She knew she had to write to him.

_Dear James,_

_I'm sure by the time you receive this letter, you will have already heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor. I want you to know that I'm okay, but things in D.C. are tense. I don't want you worrying about my, I'll be fine as long as you and Steve are okay. I suppose that's why I'm writing this. I know what you're going to do, James. I want you to know that I fully support your decision no matter how hard it will be to accept. I say this because you're going to have to accept my decisions as well, no matter how hard it will be. I'm leaving my job in D.C. I guess you could say something better came along._

_I will see you soon,_

_Adeline_

Adeline folded the letter and sealed the envelope, writing out the address. She then picked up her resignation paper, walking quickly to the president's office where he'd likely be writing out his speech for tomorrow. She knocked on his door.

"Come in." He sounded distracted.

"Sir," Adeline greeted.

"Miss Adams, what can I do for you?" He asked, looking up from his paper. He was always so calm and Adeline never figured out how he did it.

"I apologize for the abruptness, but I'm afraid I must resign," Adeline said, handing him the resignation letter. He looked down at it, nodding slightly.

"I'm surprised it took you this long," he said, setting his pen to the side. "Desk work never really was your strong suit. It's patterns, am I correct?" Adeline let a smile spread across her face.

"Yes, sir," Adeline said.

**|Sunday, December 21, 1941|**

Adeline hadn't received a response from Bucky which concerned her. She had just arrived in Brooklyn and was making her way to Goldie's Boxing Center where she hoped she would find Bucky. Adeline looked up at the sign and took a deep breath, walking in. Many men stopped to look at the strange sight. However, Adeline held her head high as she walked further into the gym.

"Steve, hit it with your entire body behind your fist," she heard Bucky's voice.

"Finally give up on trying to get him out of the fighting business?" Adeline asked, leaning against the wall.

"Adeline!" Bucky exclaimed, stopping the punching bag from moving. "What - what are you doing here?"

"Did you not get my letter?" Adeline asked.

"Yeah, I just wasn't expecting you to come  _here_ ," Bucky responded. Adeline shrugged.

"Nice punching, Steve," Adeline complimented. "Try tightening your core, you'll get more power."

"Adeline, could I talk to you for a second?" Bucky asked, not giving her time to respond as he grabbed her upper arm, dragging her into the office.

"What are you really doing here?" Bucky asked, looking around the office, making sure no one else was in there.

"I know you're going to join the war," Adeline said. "I'm not stupid."

"Of course you're not stupid, Adeline. But what about you?" Bucky asked. "Your job in D.C. I thought that was what you wanted."

"No - I mean yes, but -"

"What? You gonna be an army nurse?" Bucky asked. "I can assure you your government job pays better."

"No, Bucky, come on," Adeline said. "I got a job offer. Actually, I was offered this a few years back."

"With who?"

"The Military Operatives Reserve," Adeline responded.

"What? No! Adeline, do you know what they do?" Bucky asked.

"Of course I do," Adeline said. "That's why I initially turned it down. I was ready to settle down, ready for a family, but now ... knowing what you're going to do, I don't want to feel so out of control."

"Where did you even get this crazy idea?" Bucky asked, now pacing the floor.

"Bucky, you're joining the military, am I not allowed to do at least this?" Adeline questioned.

"No! I mean yes!" Bucky responded, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "But I'm not letting you."

"Like hell you are," Adeline spat back. "Bucky, I'm not going to sit back and let all these young men die. I'm going to have control, I'm going to make a difference."

"But what's it going to cost?" Adeline asked, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Stay home, stay  _safe_."

"Only if you do," Adeline responded, looking into his eyes.

"Adi, you know that I can't do that," Bucky said.

"Then you know that I can't turn down this job," Adeline said. "Bucky, you know I can't sit behind a desk any longer. I can't  _stand_ it."

"So you go out and get yourself killed?" Bucky asked, dropping his hands. "That's your solution?"

"Bucky," Adeline sighed, "you know that's not how it works."

"Well, that's how it sounds," Bucky responded in a dark tone.

"Then take a look in the mirror, James," Adeline said, brushing past him angrily.


	7. Chapter 7

Both Steve and Bucky went to the recruitment center to apply for the army. Bucky came back with an enlistment form with a large '1A' stamp on the front while Steve's sported a '4F'.

"Steve, it's alright, you'll get in," Adeline assured her friend. In all honesty, she didn't want him joining the war.

"Yeah, thanks, Adeline," Steve said, looking at his almost full plate of food. He picked at a French fry once again, sighing. "I think I'm just gonna head home, guys. Thanks for the food." Steve walked out of the dinner before either Adeline or Bucky could protest.

Soon Adeline and Bucky were walking home. It was already nine o'clock and Adeline hadn't anticipated being out that late.

"So, when do you leave for training?" Adeline asked as they walked down the mundane streets of Brooklyn. Not many people were out as many men had already left for training.

"Three days," Bucky responded. "Camp McCoy, Wisconsin."

"How long?" Adeline asked.

"Six weeks," Bucky responded. "What about you?"

"December 29th, a week from today," Adeline said. "Camp Blanding, Florida."

"You get the warm weather," Bucky joked, though his eyes stayed humorless.

"You're scared," Adeline stated as she stopped walking to look up at him.

"You're not?" Bucky asked, turning to her. "My whole life, my parents told me war stories. How my father fought in the war and how his father before him. And now, it's my turn. I just don't want to disappoint them. I want them to talk about me, remember me."

"It sounds like you're already dead," Adeline commented, starting to walk again.

"Not yet," Bucky responded with a short, humorless laugh. "But I might be."

"Don't talk like that," Adeline said softly, looking into his distant blue eyes.

"And you, you're choosing this life," Bucky said with a hint of annoyance. "Why? When you could stay here, have a loving husband, a house, hell, maybe even some kids. The American Dream!"

"Do you want an honest answer?" Adeline retorted.

"That's the only answer I would expect from you, Adeline," Bucky responded bitterly.

"Well it's because of you," Adeline said, stopping and turning toward him. "It's because the only man I've ever truly loved isn't going to be here. It's because I don't want to stay home waiting for a letter from you to know you're still alive. It's because I don't want to be the one staring at your casket knowing that I could've done something. It's because of you, okay!" Bucky stood in shock, looking down at Adeline whose soft brown eyes brimmed with tears. Finally, her confession came out.

"Do you really mean that?" Bucky asked softly.

"I don't know, you tell me," Adeline responded in a shaky voice. "The Christmas of '38. Did you mean that? And how about everything in between? Or was it just dumb love?"

"Of course I meant it. All of it," Bucky responded, surprise showing in his voice.

"Then why didn't you stop me from leaving that day?" Adeline asked. "Why did you let me go to D.C.?"

"That was what you wanted," Bucky said. "I wasn't gonna stop you, Adeline, because if you stayed, you wouldn't have found yourself." Adeline shook her head, staring down at the ground, biting her lip.

"What the hell are we doing?" Adeline asked, looking back up at him.

"I have no idea," Bucky breathed. Their chests were almost touching and their closeness was intoxicating.

"Bucky," Adeline breathed, looking up at him, "you know that if we do this, it'll be a hell of a lot harder leaving."

"I think we are way past that point, Adeline." Bucky brought his hands to either side of Adeline's face, their lips soon connected. It was blissful yet desperate. There was a need behind the kiss that wasn't there before. Bucky pulled away slowly and began to laugh.

"I really hate you, Barnes," Adeline said, joining his laughter.

"I just never thought we'd end up here," Bucky said as Adeline pulled him in for another kiss.

"You know," Adeline said, pulling back to look him in the eyes, "that's the first time you didn't say 'I hate you' back."

"I hate you," Bucky said with a smile, kissing her once again.

**~*~**

Adeline and Steve were at the train station to see Bucky off. The sky was grey and the air felt heavy as snowflakes began to float down. Bucky held a small container of soup for the road and wore a nervous grin.

"It's only six weeks, it's not so bad," Bucky said, trying to comfort his silent friend. "You keep practicing and when I get back, the three of us can go get dinner at the cheap diner down the road from Arlene's place. You know, the one with all the cats?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then," Steve said, his head down and his hands in his pockets.

"Come on, man," Bucky said, patting Steve's shoulder. Bucky finally pulled the smaller man in for an embrace.

"Be safe out there, jerk," Steve said, patting his friend's back.

"Only if you stay safe here, punk," Bucky responded as they separated.

"I'll meet you in the car," Steve said, knowing Adeline would want some time with Bucky. Adeline responded with a soft nod and watched Steve make his way to the car which was parked out in the lot. Adeline looked up at Bucky, whose grin disappeared.

"Six weeks, not so bad," Adeline said.

"Yeah," Bucky nodded nervously.

"When I get back, my mom said she'd make a big dinner," Adeline said. "Something to look forward to."

"I can already taste it," Bucky said with a short laugh and Adeline gave him a small smile.

"Stay safe," Adeline said, adjusting the collar of Bucky's shirt then smoothing it down.

"Only if you do," Bucky responded. Adeline got on her toes, her hand at the nape of his neck so she could pull him down to press their lips together.

"Now you have to come back," Adeline said. The train's harsh whistle blew, causing Bucky to back away.

"I'll see you in seven weeks," he called, finally getting on the train. Adeline watched as the train began to move away from the platform. She didn't move until it was completely out of sight.

"Adeline," Steve's voice broke Adeline from her thoughts.

"Steve, I thought you were waiting by the car," Adeline said, turning around.

"I was, but I thought you could use a friend," Steve said with a shrug, causing Adeline to smile.

"Come on, my mom's making split pea soup." Adeline grasped Steve's hand as they walked away from the now empty train station.

**|Monday, December 29, 1941|**

Parting was hard as usual. Steve hung his head as another one of his friends was going off to lay down their lives in the war effort. She tried to comfort him with empty words, but nothing seemed to make him pick up his head. It was her first day in Florida and it wasn't what she had expected. She expected it to be an all women's camp but she was surprised when men went running past all in formation, the sand billowing in clouds as their feet made contact with the ground. The sun beat down and the humidity in the air made it hard to breathe.

"You must be Adeline Adams," a strong voice struck her as she stepped into the camp.

"Yes, sir," Adeline responded.

"You're better than most men that arrive at this camp," he complimented. "Follow me, I will show you to your barracks." Adeline followed the seemingly rigid drill sergeant. He was tall, his stature was stiff, and his back was seemingly permanently straightened as though a metal pole had replaced his spine causing his shoulders to be pressed back. His face was structured and his mouth was in a tight line. Adeline wondered if he could even smile.

"You will find your clothes laid out on a bed for you and everything you need will be in there," the drill sergeant said.

"Thank you, sir," Adeline said, walking in.

"Be in the courtyard by 1500 hours," the drill sergeant ordered.

"Yes, sir," Adeline responded as he left. She didn't see any other women at the camp which concerned her. She wanted to ask the drill sergeant but she knew better. Adeline simply closed the door and changed into her clothes which fashioned trousers, an undershirt and a button up shirt. All articles of clothing were an army green that didn't flatter her at all.

By three o'clock, she stood at attention in the dirt courtyard, much to her relief, surrounded by eleven other women. They each got numbers and that was what they were to be called. Adeline was no longer Adeline Marie Adams, but Agent 22. Or when the drill sergeant was angry, it was just 22.

**~*~**

"If you can't swim, you'd better learn real quick!" The drill sergeant that Adeline had come to know as Sergeant Samuel Jacobs, yelled as the women ran toward the water. Adeline was grateful that she was able to swim as she brought up the front of the group. Her god awful army green clothes dragging her down as her boots filled with water.

"She can't swim!" One of the women called as Adeline turned to see a head of blonde hair struggle to stay up. Adeline tried to swim over to the panicking woman but her water filled boots and soaked clothes only allowed her to swim so fast. Adeline quickly ripped off her button up shirt, allowing her to move faster through the water. She got a hold of the woman, trying to keep the woman and herself above the warm water. Adeline finally felt her feet hit the sand and by then there was a group of men watching the scene. Adeline had had it. The seemingly best drill sergeant in the military had been putting them through life threatening tasks. Adeline stalked up to the drill sergeant, her clothes sticking to her body and her red lipstick smeared across her cheek.

"If you want spies, you should concentrate on keeping them _alive_ ," Adeline spat, walking around the drill sergeant.

"22, get back here!" Sergeant Jacobs yelled. Adeline turned around, glaring through her wet hair. The soldiers all looked between Adeline and the drill sergeant nervously. "The courtyard." Adeline knew what was coming.

That night she was to stay awake, sitting in a trough of ice cold water. By the time the sun rose, she was shaking, her clothes heavy with cold water. The rest of the six weeks were spent trying to keep her mouth shut and her aim straight. However, it seemed as though the drill sergeant was out to get her, finding anything she was doing wrong.

"22! You're up!" Sergeant Jacobs yelled. The women were sparring with the male soldiers and everyone was uneasy. The wind picked up, blowing the sand in Adeline's face as she stepped into the center with one of the biggest men that she had seen yet. She got ready, analyzing her opponent, however, his large fist came sooner than expected. She fell to the ground, quickly getting up.

"Come on, 22!" Sergeant Jacobs yelled, only to be punched down again. Adeline knew she couldn't get an edge on the soldier this way. She quickly dodged the man's next punch and slid through his legs, hopping up on his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck, cutting off his oxygen. He struggled underneath her grip before his large hand captured her arm, tossing her off with force. She landed with a thud on the ground, allowing herself to roll in the sand. The wind blew up the sand, getting into the soldier's eyes, allowing Adeline enough time to dodge his foot. She grabbed his ankle, pulling up quickly which caused him to fall back, shaking the earth beneath him.

Adeline took in a wheezing breath as she staggered up to him. The soldier got up, breathing hard as well before throwing a sluggish punch her way. Adeline grabbed his slow-moving wrist, using it as leverage to swing her legs up around his neck. The man struggled beneath her, his hands finding her hips, attempting to throw her off, but her ankles were locked. She let out a shout as she swung herself around back, her weight pulling him down to the ground. She jumped off as his head hit the dusty earth with a crack and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Adeline breathed hard as the dust blew in circles around her.

Everyone looked at Adeline in surprise. She was the first win of the woman's group and she stood proud over the groaning man. She loved the feeling of control within the fight, but she hated how she loved it.

**|Monday, February 9, 1942|**

Adeline was finally on the train home. Though a little tougher, a little more disciplined, she was still Adeline. She could hardly contain her excitement as the train neared the platform. She wore her new women's military issued army green skirt, blouse and jacket. She pulled her coat tight as she exited into the frigid February air. She looked around, trying to find Bucky and Steve who both said they would be here to pick her up.

"Adeline!" She heard a familiar voice. Adeline looked around, her eyes finally landing on Bucky. Adeline ran toward him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as he picked her up, spinning her around.

"God, I missed you," Bucky mumbled into her neck as her feet came into contact with the ground.

"I missed you too," Adeline said into his chest. Adeline pulled away, quickly catching his lips with hers which surprised him.

"Where's the old Adeline and what did you do with her?" Bucky asked as they pulled away.

"I haven't seen you for seven weeks, I think I'm entitled," Adeline responded with a grin. "Where's Steve?"

"Hey, Adeline," Steve said, walking into view. It sounded like he was just getting over another bout of pneumonia.

"Steve," Adeline said, pulling her friend in tight while he weakly wrapped his arms around her. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too," Steve rasped as she pulled away, placing a kiss on the smaller boy's cheek.

"You boys still coming for that dinner my mom's making tonight?" Adeline asked, looking between the two.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Bucky responded with a smile.

They soon arrived at the Adams' house and Adeline was greeted with hugs and kisses. The house smelt of fresh homemade bread and soup. They made light-hearted conversation, mostly avoiding the topic of war which both Adeline and Bucky were grateful for. Bucky and Adeline walked Steve home early as his coughing fits got worse.

"You just need some rest," Adeline said, wetting the rag again in the cool water, dabbing Steve's sweaty forehead. He could barely keep his eyes open as he breathed a soft agreeance while Adeline continued dab at his forehead. She finally draped the wet rag across his forehead while Bucky brought in some snow which she placed on the wet cloth before placing another sheet of fabric over it. Adeline took Steve's hand, squeezing it tightly. She felt a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at Bucky.

"He'll be fine, Adi," Bucky said. Adeline nodded and before leaving, she placed a kiss to Steve's cheek. Adeline lay on the couch, her head resting on Bucky's thigh.

"What was it really like?" Bucky asked.

"What do you mean?" Adeline asked, staring at the stained, off-white ceiling.

"Your training," Bucky responded. "What you told your family was a lie. I could see it. You know you have a nervous tick in your left hand, right?" Adeline grabbed her left hand with her right, covering it and biting her lip.

"Why do you have to be so nosy?" Adeline asked, still staring at the ceiling.

"I'm not nosy, I'm observant," Bucky responded.

"Yeah, and that annoying trait got you ranked sergeant, didn't it?" Adeline asked with a laugh.

"Yes it did, doll," Bucky responded with a smirk, looking down at Adeline, a smile crossing his face. Adeline looked at him, his hair was shorter and his blue eyes changed. It was subtle but Adeline could tell there was something different, something changed.

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours," Adeline said.

"I asked first," Bucky countered. Adeline sighed, focusing back to the ceiling.

"I made it through, didn't I?" Adeline asked.

"Yeah, but how?" Bucky asked.

"It wasn't easy," Adeline started. "The drill sergeant was out to get me."

"Yeah, because you can't hold your tongue, I suspect," Bucky responded.

"Oh, shut it," Adeline laughed, lightly swatting at his arm that rested over her abdomen. "I shot straight, kept my mouth shut, and punched harder. I was there with eleven other women. We had daily sparring sessions with the male soldiers. They were bigger, stronger and faster. But by the end I was better, stronger, and faster."

"You're so dramatic," Bucky said with a slight smile.

"You try living six weeks attempting to not get punched by someone twice your size," Adeline retaliated.

"I lived it, sweetheart," Bucky responded with a slight grimace. "I was the best shooter out there though. At least you were warm. We were doing grenade drills and it was below zero. All of us were shaking. My fingers -" Bucky held out one hand, moving his fingers as though testing that they were still there. "- they were numb. The soldier before me went up for his turn, but the grenade slipped through his frozen fingers. The drill sergeant and the soldier went sky high." Adeline gently grabbed Bucky's hand that rested across her abdomen. She softly ran her fingers over his calloused palm.

"This is only the beginning," Adeline mumbled, still staring at Bucky's hand. Bucky curled his fingers around Adeline's delicate ones.

"And when it ends, it'll just be you and I," Bucky said. Adeline smiled, allowing herself to think of a future with Bucky, no matter how far off it might seem.

**|Wednesday, April 22, 1942|**

Adeline slipped on her dress. Her, Bucky, and Steve were going to the Stark Expo in New York. A last outing before Bucky's departure for London the next morning.

"Adeline! James is here!" Her mother called as Adeline clasped the necklace that Bucky had given to her. She placed a hand over the small heart shaped charm and rushed down the stairs, her heels echoing off the wooden walls.

Bucky was standing in the parlor, his hands in the pockets of his uniform, talking to her father. However, Bucky stopped upon Adeline's entrance. She made sure to wear her best dress and she had a smooth layer of red lipstick to match the red of her dress. He smiled at her, that crooked grin that she loved. Her breath hitched in her throat. He looked absolutely dashing.

"You look lovely, doll," Bucky complemented, walking up to her, placing a hand on her waist to kiss her on the cheek.

"Why thank you, Sergeant Barnes, you look quite handsome yourself," Adeline said with a smile.

"Have fun," Adeline's mother called.

"Not too much fun!" Her father called as they walked out the door. Adeline laced her arm with Bucky's as they walked toward the diner where they were to meet Steve.

"Where is he?" Adeline asked as they waited in the diner. "He should be here by now." Adeline checked the clock that hung on the wall, seeing that ten minutes had already passed since their meeting time.

"I'll go check the alley," Bucky said, walking out, Adeline following. As they checked the next alley, they heard a grunt then a loud crash.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" A much larger man than Steve jeered. Steve got back up, holding up his fists.

"I can do this all day," Steve breathed, making a feeble swing at the man who easily blocked it, sending another punch at Steve who fell face first into the pile of trash cans.

"Hey!" Bucky called, grabbing the bully's upper arm. "Pick on someone your own size." Adeline rushed to Steve who was getting up slowly. Bucky took care of the man as Adeline brushed Steve off.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Steve said, swatting away Adeline's hands.

"Sometimes I think you like getting punched," Bucky said, walking back toward the two. He picked up the dropped enlistment form which had yet another '4F' stamped in the bottom left corner. Adeline gave Steve a look of disapproval.

"How many times is this?" Bucky asked, looking over the enlistment form. "Oh, so you're from Paramus, now? You know it's illegal to lie on your enlistment form. And seriously, Jersey?" Steve finished brushing himself off, looking up at Bucky who was sporting his army uniform.

"Did you get your orders?" Steve asked, looking Bucky up and down. Bucky looked down, a slight fear crossing his face.

"The one-o-seventh," Bucky responded, quickly hiding his brief fear. "Sergeant James Barnes, shipping out for England first thing tomorrow." Steve looked down, shaking his head.

"I should be going," Steve said with disappointment.

"Steve, come on," Adeline said with a slight smile. "It's Bucky's last night."

"Yeah, we gotta get you cleaned up," Bucky said, slinging his arm around the smaller friend as they walked out of the alleyway, tossing the enlistment form to the side.

"Why? Where are we going?" Steve asked.

"The future," Bucky responded, handing Steve the folded up newspaper that had the ad for the World Exposition.

**~*~**

"I don't see what the problem is," Bucky started as fireworks went off and they walked through the increasingly dense crowd in New York. "You're about to be the last eligible man in New York. You know, there's three and a half million women here."

"Well, I'd settle for just one," Steve mumbled.

"Good thing I took care of that," Adeline said as she waved to her friend that was waiting by one of the exhibits.

"What did you tell her about me?" Steve asked, fixing the mop of dirty blonde hair on top of his head.

"Only the good stuff," Adeline assured with a smile.

"Welcome to the Modern Marvels Pavilion, and the World of Tomorrow. A greater world, a better world," the overhead announcer said, indicating that a performance was about to begin.

"Come on! It's about to start!" Adeline said, pulling Bucky and her girlfriend along while Steve lingered behind.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Howard Stark!" One of the women on stage in the front of a cherry red automobile announced. Adeline found that Stark was quite the extravagant man as he wore a suit with a bow tie, his black hair groomed neatly, having no worries of getting drafted into the war. Adeline figured he probably had the money to avoid it.

He took off his top hat, handing it to the woman to his right, smiling flirtatiously. He pulled the woman in for a long kiss then taking the microphone from her as the four women filed off to the side. He smiled, taking out a handkerchief to wipe the red stain from his lips.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all." There were multiple gasps among the crowd, even Adeline was impressed as the four women took off the wheels from the cherry red automobile to reveal a sort of boxlike machine.

"Yes," Howard confirmed. "Thanks, Mandy. With Stark robotic reversion technology, you'll be able to do just that." With that, he pressed a few buttons on his panel, the car coming to life, lifting itself off the ground.

"Holy cow," Bucky breathed, not able to take his eyes off the sight. Adeline had to admit, she was impressed until there was a sputter and sparks flew causing the car to come crashing down to the ground earning a few gasps and uneasy chuckles.

"I did say a few years, didn't I?" Howard recovered, leaning on the automobile with a smirk. There was good humored laughter in the crowd and the people began to disperse.

"Hey, Steve, what do you say we take these girls -" Bucky cut off noticing Steve was gone.

"Buck," Adeline said, pointing to the recruitment center. Bucky sighed, shaking his head.

"I'll be back," he said, walking off to find Steve.

"Come on, you're kinda missing the point of a double date," Bucky said, nudging Steve on the shoulder, his appearance disappearing in the mirror. "We're taking the girls dancing."

"You go ahead, I'll catch up with you," Steve said, nodding to Adeline and her friend who were waiting outside of the recruitment center.

"You really gonna do this again?" Bucky asked in a disapproving tone.

"Well, it's a fair. I'm gonna try my luck," Steve said, his hands shoved in his pockets.

"As who? Steve from Ohio?" Bucky questioned quickly. "They'll catch you. Or worse, they'll actually take you."

"Look, I know you don't think I can do this," Steve began.

"This isn't a back alley, Steve. It's war!" Bucky said, trying to get his point across.

"I know it's a war. You don't have to tell me."

"Why are you so keen to fight? There are so many important jobs."

"What am I gonna do? Collect scrap metal -"

"Yes!"

"- in my little red wagon?"

"Why not?"

"I'm not gonna sit in a factory, Bucky -"

"I just -"

"Bucky! Come on!" Steve interrupted, finally gaining control of the conversation. "There are men laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me."

"Right," Bucky said, nodding his head. "'Cause you got nothing to prove." Adeline placed a gentle hand on Bucky's shoulder, looking at Steve sadly.

"Steve, come on," Adeline said softly. "Let's go dancing. Bonnie will be glad to dance with you." Steve shook his head, looking down at the ground, simply refusing. Bucky sighed.

"Don't do anything stupid until I get back," Bucky said, backing away, his hand in Adeline's.

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you," Steve said, nodding toward Bucky. Bucky shook his head, letting out a small laugh. He walked back up to Steve, pulling him in for an embrace.

"You're a punk," Bucky said, patting his friend's back.

"Jerk," Steve responded. "Be careful." Bucky walked toward Adeline who was waiting for them to finish.

"Don't win the war 'till I get there!" Steve called, causing Bucky to turn around and salute.

"Come on, girls," Bucky said, taking Adeline's hand and slinging his other arm around Bonnie's shoulder, "they're playing our song."

**~*~**

"I'm worried about him, Buck," Adeline admitted as they began walking home. The streets were quieter than usual as many men had already gone overseas. The street lights illuminated small sections of the street. Bonnie had left early, leaving Adeline and Bucky alone.

"I'm always worried about him," Bucky responded with a lighthearted laugh.

"I mean more so than usual," Adeline responded, trying to keep the conversation serious.

"Don't worry about it, Adeline, he'll be fine," Bucky said. "I'll send him a few letters and he'll forget all about enlisting."

"You obviously don't know Steve," Adeline mumbled.

"Come on, Adi," Bucky said, stopping and turning to face Adeline, his hands on her shoulders, "he'll be fine."

"I'm also worried about you," Adeline said, looking up at Bucky, whose face fell.

"Don't worry about me, you just concentrate on keeping yourself alive," Bucky responded. "You get your ship out date yet?" Adeline bit her lip, not wanting to ruin the perfect night. However, she pulled out the folded letter from her handbag, offering it to Bucky. He unfolded it and read.

"April 24th, huh?" He asked.

"Maybe I'll see you over there," Adeline said with a forced smile.

"Maybe," he mumbled, handing back the letter. "I hope under the right circumstances we will."

"I don't want to see you in a casket, you hear?" Adeline asked.

"I could say the same for you," Bucky responded, beginning to walk again.

"I don't want you to leave," Adeline said, staring ahead, not wanting to look at him.

"If I didn't have to, you know I would stay," Bucky said. "You know, after all of this is done, you and I should get married."

"Was that a proposal?" Adeline asked.

"That depends on your answer," Bucky said nervously, scratching the back of his neck.

"How could I say no?" Adeline asked with a smile.

"Well, you do have a record in that department," Bucky responded with a smirk.

"Oh, shut it, Barnes," Adeline scolded, pushing against his shoulder.

"It doesn't have to be a big wedding," Bucky said. "It can just be you and me, if you want. Maybe our families and Steve, too. And how about a May wedding, what do you say?"

"It sounds perfect," Adeline said with a smile. They stopped in front of Adeline's house, turning toward each other. Adeline pulled him down to meet their lips.

"I don't want this night to end," Adeline admitted, holding him close.

"Then don't let it," Bucky responded, kissing her again. He took her hand, leading her, instead of to the door of her house, back to his apartment.

"You're awful," Adeline said as he locked the door, pressing his lips against hers again.

"Then why are you kissing me back?" Bucky asked through another kiss, backing her against a wall.

"Buck, come on, you've got an early morning tomorrow," Adeline said, pushing against his chest.

"I can sleep on my ride over there, I want you now," Bucky mumbled, pressing a kiss to her neck.

"Bucky," Adeline said. "Come on. I'll stay the night, but that's it."

"Alright," he said as he placed another kiss on her lips, taking her hand and leading her to his bedroom.

"I mean it, James," Adeline said as he closed the door.

"Then just spend the night with me," Bucky said, gesturing to his neatly made bed. Adeline knew that he never made his bed before training camp, it was almost too neat, especially for Bucky. He threw her a shirt as he took off his uniform, hanging it neatly for tomorrow.

"Come on, doll," Bucky said, wrapping his arms around Adeline's waist, kissing up her neck to her lips. She draped her arms over his bare shoulders, kissing him back. Her fingers ran through his hair.

"Unbutton my dress," Adeline breathed, giving in.


	8. Chapter 8

Adeline was enveloped in Bucky's arms. The sun hadn't risen yet, but she knew it was only hours time until Bucky's departure. She had a restless sleep despite Bucky's comforting presence. She breathed in his scent which clamed her, but it didn't keep her mind from reeling. She couldn't help but see those beautiful blue eyes lifeless and dull in a hospital bed or in a battle field only identified by a number around his neck and a gun in his hand. To Adeline, he was much more than a set of numbers and she couldn't stand to see him lying stiff. He was warm and his bare chest steadily and slowly rose and fell. His arms tightened around Adeline, pulling her closer to his chest.

"You don't have to pretend to be asleep," Bucky mumbled into her hair.

"How did you know I was awake?" Adeline asked into his chest, keeping her eyes closed.

"I can just about hear your thinking," Bucky responded.

"You can't blame me for being worried, Buck," Adeline said, not shifting their position.

"No, of course not, doll, but you're worrying enough for me, Steve _and_ yourself," Bucky said.

"You just have to promise to come back alive," Adeline said, pulling back, looking into his blue eyes. There was a moment's hesitation and a slight glimmer of fear across his face.

"I promise," he said softly, "as long as you do the same."

"I promise," Adeline said. They both knew all too well how empty those promises were but it provided comfort as he pulled Adeline in for a kiss.

****~*~** **

It was a perfect day outside. The sun was out and the birds had started coming back for summer. "Don't cry, doll," Bucky said after he had already said his goodbyes to his family and Steve. He wiped away a tear from Adeline's cheek, kissing her forehead.

"I'll be back before you know it." He pulled Adeline in for one last embrace as she nodded her head against his chest.

"And when I get back, we'll get married, alright?" Bucky asked, holding her by the shoulders, a small smile on his face. "Okay?" Adeline didn't respond, tears falling down faster.

"Come on, Adi, don't make me leave you like this," Bucky pleaded.

"Okay," Adeline's voice cracked.

"You be careful, alright? I'll see you over there," Bucky said. Adeline nodded again, Bucky wiping tears away with his thumbs.

"I'll see you over there," Adeline agreed. The train whistle blew, signaling its too soon departure. Adeline looked from the train to Bucky, shaking her head, trying to keep her breathing under control.

"Hey, hey, hey," Bucky tried to calm her. "Shh, come on, Adi." She pulled him in for a desperate kiss, fearing that it would be her last.

"I'll see you later, sarge," Adeline breathed shakily, making Bucky smile. Adeline let out a quiet sob as the train began moving, taking her love with it.

"Adeline, come on, it's time to go home," Steve said, placing his hand in hers. She nodded her head, allowing Steve to pull her away from the platform.

****|Saturday, April 25, 1942|** **

Adeline's departure from New York was just as bitter as Bucky's. She tried to console her family as well as Steve who seemed to be handling the situation better than she expected. The skies were grey to match the buildings of London. She was to report to London's M.O.R. headquarters at noon for her first assignment. She took a deep breath, walking into the large building. As soon as she walked into the bustling building, she felt as though she belonged. She walked quickly to the briefing room where she was greeted by only a man in a uniform.

"You must be Agent 22," the man said, his heavy British accent rolling off his tongue.

"Yes, sir," Adeline responded.

"Please, have a seat," the man said, gesturing to the seat with a manila folder in front of it. "Your first assignment waits in there." Adeline flipped through. Her first assignment was in Austria, gathering information on an organization called Hydra.

"This is all we know at this point about Hydra," the man said. "It's your job to dig up anything you can find on the organization. Here is your identity and you will be leaving for Vienna, Austria in about -" he check his watch "- an hour. I suggest you get packing." Adeline looked through the second folder as the man left the room.

****|Monday, May 11, 1942|** **

Adeline had made some headway in her assignment. She had gained the trust of one of Hydra's top men at the weapons facility she was stationed at. She made her way to her desk, sorting her papers. Once in awhile she would try to sneak a glimpse of the files she was organizing. Adeline took the stack of papers she was to deliver to Hans Müller, the president of this branch.

"I want that super soldier off the board by tonight," Müller said into the phone causing Adeline to stop. "Did you get it? - You what? - You know our tests haven't worked. Schmidt isn't enough, we need Erskine's formula. - Yes, I'm well aware of the contingencies. Get me that formula and we are in business. I have the perfect candidate. I don't want her wasted by some sloppy science, understand? - Hail Hydra." Adeline heard him walk toward the door and she quickly went around the corner, making it seem as though she was just arriving.

"Mr. Müller," Adeline greeted as he was in the doorway of his office. "I have those papers you asked for." She handed him the stack of files.

"Ah, yes, thank you, Karin," he said, placing them on his neat desk. Müller was a man of great organization. It was almost to the point where Adeline feared for the man's mental stability. He was always cleaning something and his bony hands could only work so fast. He was a fit man, most likely served in The Great War as his head was covered with short, peppered grey hair. Adeline turned to leave but Müller stopped her.

"Ah, Miss Schneider, would you walk with me?" He asked.

"Of course, sir," Adeline responded as they began walking down the hallways.

"I would like to thank you," he began. "You have been excellent help around here. You see, Hydra's mission is to develop weapons, yes?"

"Yes, sir," Adeline responded.

"Now, these are not just weapons held by man, but we strive to create weapons out of ma," he stated, his eyes glazed with an impatient waiting for the future. "You can understand this, correct?"

"Of course, sir," Adeline responded, her palms gathering sweat as he pushed the down button for the elevator.

"I think you will appreciate our progress," Müller said as the elevator closed and made it's decent to the basement floor. "You are smarter than you look, Miss Schneider. I know you have been curious." Adeline looked down, shuffling her feet.

"It is nothing to be ashamed of, Miss Schneider," Müller said. "I admire that curiosity. Man would be nowhere without it." The elevator doors slid open to a long hallway lined with cold cells. Adeline hesitated, not wanting to step out of the elevator. There was a loud scream then a crash. Adeline swallowed hard, trying to keep her fear at a reasonable level.

"You see, in order to make progress, one must be willing to make bounds that no one else is willing to take. That can sometimes include things that make mere men not sleep so well at night," Müller stated. "But I think you can understand. These sometimes bloody methods lead to great scientific discoveries." There was a loud thud on the cell door to Adeline's right, causing her to jump and retreat to the other wall where another grabbed her through the bars. Adeline yanked herself away from the woman who was letting out a low moan. One half of her face was deformed yet she was strong, much stronger than one would expect from a deformed human. Adeline swallowed, trying to control her breathing.

"Have you had any true successes?" Adeline questioned, not able to take her eyes off the woman.

"So far, not," Müller responded. "Unfortunately, this ... untapped science is just in its early stages. Come." Adeline followed Müller to an large room but it was filled with equipment that even Adeline didn't know was used for and frankly, she hoped she would never find out. A team of doctors pushed through the doors, dragging behind them a screaming man. Adeline forced herself to keep a straight face as the malnourished Allied soldier was strapped to the table. He pulled against the restraints frantically, screaming.

"No, please! Let me go! I will tell you anything!" The man screamed. Müller walked up to the man calmly, inspecting him.

"Unfortunately for you, we don't want information, we want results," Müller said, looking indifferently at the man. "Proceed." The doctors began prepping  needles and soon the screaming turned into a high pitched squeal like a sow being murdered. The squealing continued as the man's face began to bubble with painful blisters, blood running from his mouth as he let out a silent scream. He pulled on the restraints as his eyes glazed over into a milky white. His mouth was left agape as blood slowly flowed down his chin. The man suddenly stopped struggling, his white eyes and blistered face turning to Adeline.

"You can't escape," the man said in a contrastingly deep voice before he fell back, his heart finally stopping. Adeline felt as though she was going to throw up. He was an Allied soldier. What if that had been Bucky?

"Such a shame," Müller  sighed, looking down at the now unrecognizable man. "Science can either destroy or replenish. That's the beauty of it. The unpredictability makes it thrilling. You can understand my attraction to something of this sort, can't you, Miss Schneider?"

"Yes," Adeline responded evenly, "it is thrilling, but I do believe that you have some work to do before you get your weapon." This caused Müller to laugh and walk around the body, whose white eyes were staring blankly at Adeline and no matter what, she couldn't look away from him.

"Yes, I would have to agree, Miss Schneider," Müller laughed. There was a loud static noise and soft music came through the gramophone. Adeline looked over to the doctors who began cleaning to the classical music. The calm tune, however, did not ease Adeline's fear as it cracked and echoed throughout the concrete room.

****~*~** **

As Adeline walked home, Nazi soldiers jeered at her. She kept her gaze on the bloodstained ground and her pace was quick. She didn't need any trouble with Nazi soldiers. Adeline jumped as there was a young woman's scream and a gunshot, cutting it short. There was a bout of laughter among the soldiers as they smoked and drank, touching all women who passed. Adeline stayed far away from them but there was a gloved hand that wrapped around her forearm.

"You're a pretty one, aren't you?" A German soldier said, looking Adeline up and down. Adeline's heart rate increased as other soldiers noticed their friend's catch.

"Let go of me," Adeline said, trying to pull away but he pulled her into him. His breath reeked of alcohol mixed with cigarette smoke. His face was smooth but he had a scar that looked like someone had bit his cheek.

"Oh, come on, darling, we just wanna have a little fun," the man responded, kissing up her neck. "I wouldn't want to ruin a pretty face like yours, now would I?" Adeline struggled against the man's grip, trying not to let out the scream that was bubbling up in her throat. There was a low rumble causing everything to stop as everyone looked to the sky. Adeline could hear her rapid heartbeat as she waited for what was to happen. Low flying fighter planes soared overhead with a deafening sound. The soldier that once held Adeline, pushed her away, causing her to fall to the ground that was a mix of blood and rain. Adeline watched, frozen as the Allied planes soared overhead. It wasn't until the first bomb went off that Adeline snapped from her daze and into action. She quickly got up and started running. People were screaming as they covered their children and searched for their loved ones. Adeline's breathing increased as she tried to make her way through the panicked people. Another explosion just to Adeline's right rattled the earth, debris from the once grand building falling everywhere. There was a ringing in Adeline's right ear as she unsteadily continued to run.

"Mama! Mama!" A little boy's cries could be heard through the commotion and the ringing in Adeline's ear. Adeline spotted a small Austrian boy, his blonde hair dirtied and his clothes ripped. Adeline ran up to him, picking him up as the loud planes soared overhead and another round of explosions shook the earth.

"Franz! Franz?" A woman searched frantically through the panicked crowd as another explosion went off, almost knocking Adeline off her feet.

"Mama!" The boy in Adeline's arms called as she made her way over to the woman.

"Oh, Franz, bless you, bless you," the woman said, briefly holding Adeline's hand before another bomb shook the earth. The woman ran, trying to get out of the crowd.

"No, wait!" Adeline called as she started running after the woman, looking up at the unsteady building. There was a final shock of a bomb, sending the building toppling down upon the little boy and his mother. Blood ran in the debris ridden streets as the people rushed toward the trains. Adeline began running with the crowd. She couldn't stay here.

"The trains are down!" A man shouted.

"The trains are down?" There was nervous mumbling and screaming as Allied planes made one last round, sending bombs down over the crowd. Adeline looked up, seeing her country aim for the people of Austria. The crowd ran away from the platform in a feared hurry and Adeline had no choice but to follow as she ran with the people of Austria. Screaming filled her ears as the bombs went off. Then just like that there was silence. Adeline stood as people pushed around her, searching for their loved ones. She simply looked to the sky. The dark grey clouds had promised rain and so it came. A drop landed on Adeline's cheek and rolled down as though mother nature herself was mourning the loss of the innocent. In an instant the sky opened up in an angry storm, washing the blood from the streets, but it couldn't hide the limbs that stuck out from the rubble or the bodies that laid out in the open or the sobs of the Austrian people as they held the carcass of someone they loved. The screaming slowly turned to sobbing as Adeline closed her eyes and let the rain wash her wounds. She soon opened her eyes, looking around at the people who were counting their losses. Adeline walked calmly down the street, avoiding the wet carcasses that laid still in the middle of the road.

Adeline numbly walked up her crumbling apartment building stairs and held onto the sink, surveying her injuries. She let the tears fall as she washed herself. Her left arm was deeply lacerated and there was a deep cut just above her right eyebrow. Adeline let her bloody dress pool around her ankles as she began tending to her injuries. They stung, but it didn't hurt as much as what she was feeling inside. Anger bubbled as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. She picked up her dress and angrily scrubbed at the bloodied material, letting out a sob as she scrubbed at the material harder. Her hair was a mess from the frantic evening and tears streaked through the dust that had settled on her face. She screamed in frustration as she abandoned her dress and called her fists, punching the thin wall of her bathroom. A large hole presented itself as Adeline fell to the floor, her body shaking with her sobs.

****|Saturday, May 16, 1942|** **

Adeline sat at her desk in her crummy apartment building on the second floor. She was writing out her daily report with a heavy heart. She rested her head against her forearm, trying to block out the images that continued to plague the back of her eyelids. Heavy footsteps and a few gunshots caused Adeline to sit straight in her seat. She quickly got up, shoving everything that didn't belong in Nazi occupied Austria under loose floorboards. She placed her gun in her thigh holster, adjusting her dress over it so it looked smooth and inconspicuous. The heavy footsteps ran past her door and brute fists pounded on the room next to hers.

"No! Please, I didn't do anything!" A male voice shouted. "Hail Hitler, Hail Hitler!" There was a loud thud and screaming. Adeline held her breath knowing what was coming next.

"Papa!" There was a shout then a gunshot, causing Adeline to jump. She cautiously went over to the door, looking through the peephole, allowing her to see her neighbor on the ground, a bullet through his head.

"Stay back!" One of the officers shouted, holding his rifle ready, steadying it against his shoulder. "Stay back!" There was a woman's scream as the mother was pulled right next to her husband. She was brought to her knees with the butt of a rifle to the back of her head. Adeline covered her mouth, trying to keep her fear silent.

"Please, we didn't do anything," she whimpered. "Hail Hitler, Hail Hitler." The Gestapo soldier put the rifle to the back of the woman's head and shot. The once beautiful woman slumped next to her husband, blood covering her forehead, a large bullet hole, just like her partner.

"Get the children," the leader ordered. Two children were dragged out and placed by their parents. The young boy was crying, holding onto his younger sister's hand. The little girl reminded Adeline a bit of herself when she was young. She had the same chestnut brown hair and she held a blanket tight to her chest, tears streaking down her soft, rosy cheeks. There were too loud gunshots and the children fell next to their parents. The girl's brown doe eyes closed for the last time, blood staining her blanket. Adeline backed away from the door, breathing hard, a hand over her mouth to stop the whimpers of fear. There was a loud pounding on her door.

"Open up!" A deep voice yelled. Adeline looked at the door, attempting to compose herself. She straightened her dress and wiped the tears from her eyes. It was too late to run.

"Open up!" The voice called again along with a more persistent pounding on the door. Adeline breathed in then out, opening the door, trying to keep the bile from rising in her throat.

"Officer," Adeline greeted with a smile. "It's a good thing you got them when you did, I was sure they were helping the Allied forces." She tried to not look at the couple's accusing eyes on her. Even though it wasn't her who reported them, Adeline still felt guilty.

"Forgive me for asking, Miss, but I'm going to need to see some ID," he said, cocking his gun against his hip slightly, showing that he was in control if she were to not comply.

"Of course, come in," Adeline said, leaving the door open for the man. Adeline gathered her papers that claimed she was Karin Schneider and she worked for Hydra as a desk woman. She handed the papers to the man and he flipped through them. Adeline hoped they looked real enough that it wouldn't get through his thick skull that she wasn't actually the woman she claimed.

"Thank you, Miss Schneider," he said, handing Adeline her papers. "You really are a pretty one." His thumb trailed her jawline. Adeline didn't dare look up at him as she kept her breathing even. "Too bad. You're not quite ideal." Adeline looked up at the blonde haired, blue eyed soldier. He was young, must've been around the same age as Adeline.

"No, I'm not quite ideal," Adeline said, her brown eyes flashing in anger. The officer pulled away, slightly dipping his head out of fake courtesy.

"Have a good evening, Hail Hitler," he said strongly.

"Hail Hitler," Adeline responded. Once the man left, Adeline locked the door, pressing her back against it, sliding down to the floor. She let out a sob, covering her face with her hands. She had seen more unjust death in the past weeks than she cared to see in her whole lifetime. She breathed in then out, trying to stop the ugly tears from falling. She crawled over to her desk, getting out her radio system.

"This is Agent 22 to home base, London," Adeline said into the microphone with a shaky voice. "Come in."

"We read you, 22," a woman's voice came. "What is your status?" Adeline let out a breathy cry. She hadn't heard another Allied voice since she left. She never wanted the woman to stop talking. "22, what's your status?" The woman asked again.

"Alive and undiscovered," Adeline responded, her voice cracking. "Hydra base located and engaging tomorrow morning at 0100 hours."

"Copy that," the woman said.

"I will send any files I find straight to headquarters," Adeline choked, letting out a sob in her hands.

"Understood," the woman said, cutting off the connection.

"I just want to get out of here," Adeline breathed as she put her head on her folded arms.

****~*~** **

Adeline flipped through the file in her hand.

"Tesseract?" Adeline asked to herself quietly, shining her flashlight across the clippings from old mythology books. She placed the file in her bag then went for another folder, flipping open the first page. In it were multiple formulas.

"Super soldier," Adeline breathed, holding the flashlight in her mouth so she could flip through the pages. Underneath each formula were pictures of two people. It looked like a before and after photo set. On the first page there was a picture of a woman. She was pretty in the first picture, her skin soft and her hair neatly groomed and curled. However, the next picture was the same woman but her face was morphed into something unrecognizable. The only way Adeline could tell that these two pictures were the same woman was because of the words claiming that it was. The woman's skin seemed to be burnt, her eyes almost popping out of their sockets. The photo seemed to be taken postmortem. There was no way someone could survive like that. Adeline flipped to the next page but this time it was a man who looked like his face was melted, his skin weeping. Adeline placed the files in the bag as well, collecting anything else she could find.

There was a loud thud of a door closing as the lights flipped on outside Hans Müller's office. Adeline quickly ducked behind the desk, clipping her bag across her chest. There were soft footsteps coming closer. She heard the readying of a rife and the click of the door. Light flooded the room as soft footfalls could be heard on top of the creaking floorboards. Adeline covered her mouth, scared to even breathe. The footsteps got closer, they were going to find her. Adeline held her gun close, breaking from her hiding spot, shooting at the nearest man. She ran, shooting at anyone who tried to come near her. She rolled over a desk, narrowly avoiding a bullet, then quickly getting up to run for the exit. Before she could get much farther, Adeline was tackled to the side, a man with a gun on top of her. He looked down, surprised to see a woman. She rolled over, knocking him out with a fist to the temple. Adeline looked up, shooting the two men closest to her, earning a shower of bullets in return. She rolled out of the way, seeing bullets in the ground where she once was. Adeline shot again, the gun clicking into an empty chamber. She grabbed her other gun, successfully shooting two more men until she felt the cold barrel of a gun against the back of her head.

"Put the gun down!" The man ordered. "Put it down!" Adeline slowly placed the gun on the desk in front of her, glaring at the men who started to gather around her, their guns all trained at her head. Adeline looked up, getting a grip on her third gun. She found the water pipe and now she was just waiting for her opportunity.

"On your knees!" The man shouted. Adeline complied, allowing some room between her head and the rifle. She quickly un-holstered her gun, aiming it for the water pipe. She rolled out of the way as the lights sparked and the men shouted, shooting at anything that moved. Adeline got up and ran, making sure the bag was secure on her shoulder. There was a blinding pain in her side as she turned around a wall providing her momentary safety. She let out a pained gasp as she pressed a hand to her side, as though it might relieve some of the fiery pain.

She adjusted her gun and turned the corner, however, a figure grasped her wrist so she sot up toward the ceiling. He gripped her throat, pushing her up against the wall. Adeline kneed the man in the stomach, his grip loosening, allowing Adeline to jump and kick the man in the face, efficiently knocking him out She held him up to block incoming shots while she fired her own pistol around the man, successfully taking down the others. She dropped the unconscious man and made her way to the exit once again. Only guided by the stars, Adeline ran toward the forest, hoping she lost the men. If she kept heading south, she would hopefully make it into Allied territory.

****~*~** **

Adeline didn't know how far she had gone, but it had been two days and she continued to walk, rationing her water as best she could, patching her wound and eating small chocolates from her bag. She had only stopped to sleep for a few hours, fearing that the horrors would find her in her vulnerable state. Adeline continued to limp through the dense forest and she was beginning to think that she was going to die. She hadn't come across another town in the 30 hours of her travel. Whenever Adeline thought like that, she would pull out a picture of her, Steve, and Bucky. They took a picture before Bucky's deployment, just the three of them. It was stained with her blood, but it still held the hope, the happiness Adeline needed to continue. She rubbed her thumb over Bucky's face which was frozen in a bright smile.

It was dawn and Adeline had run out of water and ate her last chocolate. She wrapped her wound with a fresh piece of fabric, the self-stitching job still holding up. Adeline fell to her knees, not able to will herself to go any further. She pulled out the photo once again, looking at their bright smiles. Adeline was sure she didn't look like she did in the photo. Her hair was greasy, she was significantly thinner, and her face and hands were covered in blood and dirt. Adeline let a silent tear fall down her cheek, looking at the photo. When she got back, she was going to marry James Buchanan Barnes and her mom was going to make her famous roast that everyone loved. She could almost taste it. She could almost hear the cheers of her friends as her and Bucky ran out of the chapel to go off to anywhere but Brooklyn for their first holiday as a couple. However, Adeline wasn't imagining the noise. There were voices, excited shouting.

Adeline looked up, trying to find the source of the noise. She got herself up and ran as best she could toward the voices. Soon, she came to a clearing. There were Allied soldiers walking around the camp, enjoying the warm day. Adeline let out a sob of relief as she limped toward the camp, her hands above her head, signaling that she wasn't a threat. The men stopped their game of basketball and looked over to Adeline. She cried as she fell to her knees.

"Help me, please," Adeline begged.

"Adeline?" A familiar voice questioned. Behind the group of men, peered two familiar blue eyes.

"Buck," Adeline breathed, a weak smile appearing on her face as he pushed through the men. He was just as groomed as when he left Brooklyn. He always made sure to comb his hair and shave his face, even press his clothes. That hadn't changed a bit since he left. He ran up to her and stooped down so he could wrap his arms around Adeline. She gasped in both relief and in pain. He pulled back, looking her over.

"You're hurt," he said, a concerned look crossing his face. "Can we get a doctor here?" Bucky helped Adeline up to her feet, aiding her to the hospital tent where the nurses tended to her.

****|Azzano, Italy|  
|Wednesday, May 20, 1942|** **

Adeline sat on the edge of the bed as the nurse changed her bandages.

"It's healing nicely," she said. "I'm surprised it didn't get infected."

"Yeah, me too," Adeline mumbled, looking down at the red skin before it was covered with a white bandage.

"Hey," a voice came from behind Adeline as she tenderly buttoned up her shirt. She turned around to be greeted by two blue eyes.

"Barnes," Adeline breathed, slightly surprised by his presence, "don't scare me like that."

"You okay?" Bucky asked. He had noticed the change in Adeline. For the past few days, she had been on edge. She had sent out the recovered Hydra files but she still felt as though those soldiers would come after her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Adeline responded, buttoning the last button, giving Bucky a weak smile.

"Have you heard from Steve?" Adeline asked as they walked out of the tent.

"No, nothing," Bucky responded. "I've sent a few letters but there were no responses."

"That makes me nervous," Adeline admitted.

"Me too," Bucky said with a sigh. "There's not much to do here. I just try to keep busy."

"With you so close to the front, I would almost imagine something would be going on," Adeline said, looking around the calm and rather mundane camp.

"There hasn't been any activity since I got here," Bucky said. "I guess they're preparing for something big." Adeline looked over to where there was a three on three game of basketball going on in the dirt court of the camp. Others had towels draped over their shoulders heading for the showers. And some were enjoying the warmth of the day, sitting out, playing a game of checkers or conversing about what they used to do back home.

****|Thursday, May 21, 1942|** **

"A home cooked meal sounds amazing right now," Bucky said, staring up at the stars. Both Adeline and Bucky were lying in a clearing where almost all the stars could be seen.

"Yeah, but it's nice here," Adeline responded. "I mean, how many times can you say we've stargazed in Italy?"

"Well, I can add it to my list," Bucky responded with a smile, looking over at Adeline. "It'd be even nicer if we weren't in the middle of a war."

"But without the war, we wouldn't even know that Italy has the second best stargazing spots in the entire world," Adeline said.

"Oh?" Bucky questioned. "What's the first?"

"Brooklyn," Adeline said and Bucky gave her a strange look. "Yeah, the food isn't always the best, and on most nights you can't even see the stars and sometimes it stinks, but it's home."

"I have to agree with you there," Bucky said sighing. "When this hell is over, and we get back to Brooklyn, we'll find a small chapel right in the city to get married."

"That sounds nice," Adeline said.

"You know what sounds even nicer?" Bucky asked, propping himself up on his elbow.

"What?" Adeline asked, looking at Bucky who hovered next to her.

"When Adeline Marie Adams becomes Adeline Marie Barnes," Bucky said.

"You're such a hopeless romantic, James, don't deny it," Adeline laughed.

"Only for you," Bucky responded with a smile, leaning in and pressing his lips to hers. A loud siren ripped through the calm night, causing the two to part.

"What is that?" Adeline asked, the loud siren continuing its monotone note.

"Shit," Bucky mumbled, helping Adeline to her feet. "Follow me." There was a loud gunshot and the two broke into a run as fighting broke out. Bucky pulled Adeline into a munitions building.

"You stay here!" Bucky shouted over the gunshots.

"Like hell!" Adeline shouted back.

"Adeline, do as I say!" Bucky shouted, grabbing a rifle.

"You're not leaving me in here," Adeline shouted, grabbing Bucky's arm, stopping him. "We do this together."

"Damnit, Adi," Bucky said. "I can't lose you!" Adeline stood in shock for a minute.

"Then let me help you," Adeline countered once she got her bearings.

"God, you're impossible," Bucky said, running a hand through his hair, finally tossing her a gun.

Adeline couldn't tell who was who. There were flashes of light and an overbearing sound of gunshots along with the siren. If it weren't for the shouts of pain, she would imagine herself back in Brooklyn on the Fourth of July. Adeline shot at a man in all black and quickly turned, grabbing her knife, stabbing another in the gut. Adeline unhooked a grenade and threw it into the large line of men that were coming closer. A brief light revealed how many more soldiers there were making their way toward the camp. Adeline began running to get a good shot, but she tripped over something. She landed hard on the ground, gunshots whizzing over her head.

"Help," a weak voice whimpered. "Help me, please." Adeline could faintly make out a figure. His face was etched by the moonlight and he looked young, no older than 20. Adeline looked over him, locating a bullet wound when her hands came back red and sticky. If she were really to help him, she would shoot him in the head. She, instead, hooked her arms underneath his upper arms, dragging him to the medical tent. She handed him off to a nurse who began shouting orders. Adeline turned and shot at the incoming enemies, trying to keep them away from the medical tent.

"This is hell!" A man called as he stood next to Adeline, shooting down another Nazi.

"You can say that again!" Adeline called back, shooting another Nazi soldier.

"Grenade!" Another man yelled and sure enough, a grenade landed itself in between Adeline's feet. It felt as though everything was moving in slow motion as she kicked the ticking bomb as far away as she could. However, it wasn't far enough as it exploded and a pain ripped through her chest as she was flung backward. Everything was hazy. Sounds were muffled, her vision blurry. The gunshots seemed to be the last of her concern as she tried to catch her breath.

"Hey, you okay?" A man asked, walking up to her. She felt his warm hand on her neck, checking for a pulse. There was a loud bang and blood sprayed her face as the man slumped over onto her body. She gasped as she saw a hazy, dark figure standing above her. She quickly grabbed a gun and shot blindly. She rolled out of the way, crawling out of the crossfire.

"Adeline!" Bucky shouted, sitting next to her, his back propped up against a rock.

"I'm fine," Adeline said.

"You stay down," Bucky ordered as he glanced over the rock, shooting at one of the Nazis.

"I said I'm fine," Adeline shouted back. "Duck!" Adeline raised her gun and shot at the Nazi who was aiming for Bucky.

"Thanks," Bucky breathed, looking at the soldier that was lying on the ground.

"Don't mention it," Adeline said. "Come on, let's go kick some ass."


	9. Chapter 9

Adeline sat on the edge of the bed as she was getting her old wound and some new wounds bandaged. She faced Bucky who was getting his wounds tended to as well. The tent was in silent shock from the recent attack. She had helped drag bodies of men into a neat line just outside the medical tent, their dog tags resting on their chests so the Colonel knew who to write condolence letters to. Many of these men were hardly men, not even had a first shave, but their heads had acquainted themselves with a deadly bullet. Bucky's usually groomed hair and clean skin was bloody and dirty. The look didn't suit him.

"I'm going to go get cleaned up," Adeline said as she walked with Bucky out of the medical tent. "You would be wise to do the same."

"Yeah," Bucky nodded numbly, looking down at his bloodied clothes. "Adeline -" Adeline stopped, turning to face Bucky "- how did you do it?"

"Do what?" Adeline asked. Bucky looked around, pulling her behind a building, her back up against the wooden walls, his hands on either side of her head.

"I've seen your memos," Bucky admitted. "Living through that every day? How did you keep your head on straight?"

"You weren't supposed to read those," Adeline mumbled.

"But I did," Bucky responded, looking down at Adeline. "You can't be okay after that."

"Who said I was okay?" Adeline asked, looking into his eyes.

"God, Adeline," Bucky breathed, resting his forehead against hers. "How did we get into this mess?"

"Agent 22," a voice squeaked, causing Bucky to back up and Adeline to look toward the voice. It belonged to a small man with a nervous glint in his eyes upon seeing the two sharing an intimate moment. "There's a line for you."

"Of course," Adeline said, her voice slightly shaking. "I'll be right there." The small man nodded and quickly turned to walk away.

"I didn't know your first name was 'Agent'," Bucky said, giving Adeline a sideways glance.

"Yeah, well it has kept me alive," Adeline responded. "Go get yourself cleaned up, you stink." With that, she walked toward the communications tent. She could feel Bucky's eyes on her as she walked away, no doubt a slight smirk plastered to his face.

**~*~**

"I'm going back to London first thing tomorrow," Adeline told Bucky as they sat and watched the basketball game that was going on in the dirt court of the camp.

"They don't give you a break, do they?" Bucky asked as Gabe Jones made a successful shot.

"We're at war, it's not necessarily a leisurely activity," Adeline responded with a slight smile.

"James, come on, we can bring you in," Gabe said with a smile as he stood in front of the two.

"It's Bucky and besides, if I join, you'll have uneven teams," Bucky said.

"Would the lady like to play?" He asked, eyeing Adeline.

"Oh, I'm not much of a basketball player," Adeline said with a laugh.

"We've got two more players!" Gabe shouted to the others. Adeline laughed, allowing Gabe to pull her onto the court.

"The two lovers have to be on separate teams," Timothy Dugan, better known as Dum Dum Dugan, shouted. Adeline wasn't good at basketball but she was competitive. Adeline blocked Bucky's shot, the ball bouncing out of bounds.

"Better luck next time, Barnes," Adeline said.

"I thought you liked me," Bucky said in mock hurt.

"Come on, Bucky, don't let her get in your head!" Jim Mortia called, pulling Bucky away from a smirking Adeline. She got high fives from her team and the game continued, coming down to a tie.

"Next point wins!" Dum Dum Dugan shouted as he passed the ball to Adeline. She dribbled, knocking down Bucky then passing it to Gabe who made the winning shot. Adeline smiled, holding out her hand for Bucky.

"No hard feelings, right?" Adeline asked as Bucky refused to take her hand to help himself up. "Ah, come on, James." She could tell he was trying not to smile. "How about if I …" Adeline pulled him down to meet their lips.

"Okay, but you can't expect to win everything like that," Bucky said with a smile. Adeline punched him lightly on the shoulder.

It was late and Bucky took Adeline to the open field for one last night together.

"You know, you could get out of all of this, right?" Bucky asked as Adeline nuzzled into Bucky's chest.

"Like I'm going to leave all the fighting up to the men," Adeline scoffed with a laugh.

"I'm serious Adeline," Bucky said. "You could go home and be safe. Wait for me to come home."

"Bucky, you and I both know that's not going to happen. You said yourself that you couldn't imagine me being a housewife," Adeline said, looking up at Bucky.

"I know, that's what scares me," Bucky said.

**|Saturday, May 23, 1942|**

The dirt roads were covered with puddles from a late night rain and the forest was misty. Adeline found it beautiful, but eerie. She found it hard to leave Bucky, a lingering feeling of dread hung in her chest and she couldn't shake it.

"You know, it would make me feel better if you were going home," Bucky said.

"I know, James," Adeline said, leaning against the Jeep. "But you know me too well."

"Unfortunately," Bucky mumbled.

"Hey, I thought you liked me," Adeline said in mock hurt, but he didn't laugh. "Come on, Buck."

"You know, I'm terrified of this war," Bucky said and Adeline's smile fell. "I don't know what's coming next, I don't know if I'll be dead or alive tomorrow. It's changing me, Adeline and I'm terrified."

"I know," Adeline said softly. Bucky sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Agent, your plane is going to be ready within the hour, I suggest we get going," a soldier informed Adeline.

"Thank you," Adeline said, nodding in the direction of the soldier before turning back to Bucky. "I guess that's my cue."

"I'll see you later," Bucky said.

"Hopefully under the right circumstances," Adeline responded.

"Hopefully," Bucky echoed. Adeline pulled him in for a soft embrace and he tightened his arms around her.

"I'll see you later, sarge," Adeline said with a soft smile.

"I'll see you around, agent," Bucky responded, smiling back.

"I hate you," Adeline laughed, pulling him in for a quick kiss.

"And I hate you," Bucky said once they pulled away. The army Jeep started and Adeline took a deep breath.

"Go, or you'll be late for your plane," Bucky urged. Adeline sighed, pulling Bucky in for another kiss before she stepped into the Jeep and she looked back, watching the camp get smaller and smaller. Adeline shifted in her seat, sitting forward.

"Barnes talks about you a lot," the driving soldier said. "He's lucky to have you."

"I'm lucky to have him," Adeline said, smiling a bit. She still couldn't shake the feeling of dread and even as she drove away, it grew.

When she arrived in London, she debriefed a small council of men.

"They aren't only a weapons development organization, but an experimentation organization," Adeline concluded.

"Very good work, Agent 22," one of the men said. "Thank you for your insights. I think the council will all agree with me, but based on your exceptional work here, I would like to assign you to a team that deals specifically with Hydra." There were nods from the other men and Adeline's heart skipped a beat as she thought of Bucky, about her getting out and going home.

"It would be an honor, sir," Adeline said, pushing the uneasy feeling away.

**|Nazi Occupied Paris, France|  
** **|Thursday, June 18, 1942|**

Germany was getting comfortable in France. Almost overnight, dozens of Hydra bases had popped up all over norther France. Many people had simply gone missing under the occupation and Adeline knew it was for experimentation.

"You all set?" Her partner, Peter Mason asked.

"Yeah," Adeline responded, checking her weapons.

"You remember the plan, right?" He asked.

"Yes, I got it," Adeline said. "Honestly, Peter, we've been working with each other for a month and you don't trust me? This'll be the fourth Hydra facility we've broken into together."

"In this line of business you can't afford to trust anyone," Peter responded, his British accent making him sound condescending. "Even me."

"Just relax," Adeline said. "I got it." Most of their partnership was like this. Peter was always so uptight even when they weren't on missions. Of course, Adeline was careful, she always was. She didn't want to be sent home in a wooden box. They were quite the dynamic duo as they got things done efficiently and effectively. They checked their gear one more time before slipping off into the night.

"You know, I rather enjoy our late night raids," Adeline said as she returned to Peter's side after securing the compound.

"Just get the files and let's go," Peter said.

"Roger that," Adeline said, jogging off to the main office of the building. She was shuffling through the cabinets when she came across something curious. There was a folder overflowing with paperwork. She opened it and there were pictures of a man known as Captain America. Underneath the bold name was the actual name, one she recognized: Steven Rogers.

"Oh my God," Adeline breathed, holding the flashlight in her mouth so she could flip through the pictures. There was one small photo of the Steve Adeline knew and the others were of someone seemingly completely different. However, he still had the same kind eyes and messy dirty blonde hair Adeline remembered.

"This is why he hasn't been responding to Bucky's letters," Adeline mumbled. She flipped through a few more pages.

"Operation rebirth? Oh my God, Steve. If I live through this war, you are so dead," Adeline breathed, reading over the pages.

"As interesting as that file may be, I will need it back," A voice interrupted her thoughts. Adeline dropped the file, turning around and pointing her gun at the man. From what Adeline could see, eh was a German Officer, his face etched and it looked like he had seen much. He held Peter with a gun to his head.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, agent," the German Officer said. "You shoot, I shoot and we both die."

"Adeline, shoot and get out of here," Peter said.

"Shut it," Adeline demanded, still keeping her gun steadily aimed for the German's head.

"You don't want him dead, do you?" The officer asked tauntingly. Adeline was trying to calculate the risk in her mind. However, before she could make her final decision, there was a loud gunshot. Though Adeline didn't feel it right away, she knew that bullet was meant for her. She fell to the ground as the red hot pain hit her. Everything went numb as muffled gunshots fired. She felt Peter dragging her behind the desk as he collected the files she had dropped. He shot around the desk as Adeline weakly tried to stop the bleeding from her abdomen. Peter turned to Adeline. He seemed conflicted but she couldn't hear anything.

"What?" Adeline questioned in a weak voice.

"I'm sorry," he said, taking her pistol and her bag.

"Peter," Adeline tried to call, but he was already making his way out, laving Adeline behind. "Peter!" He didn't even leaver her a gun to put a bullet in her head. Adeline shakily ripped her sleeve, making a makeshift bandage. She breathed in then out as she moved onto her stomach, grabbing onto the edge of the desk with a bloody hand. Adeline had only taken a few steps before collapsing, her face only inches from the dead Officer. She rolled onto her back again, trying to keep her breathing even.

"Bucky," she whispered, tears gathering in her eyes. When she got home, she was going to marry him in a small chapel. When she got home, she was going to pick out a dress. When she got home, she was going to be okay. When she got home …

Adeline seemed to calm down, she felt as though she was floating, she was at peace. She weakly reached for the photo of her Bucky and Steve that she always kept in her pocket. Nothing could brighten Adeline up like Bucky's smile or Steve's drawings. She pressed the photo to her lips, letting the warm tears fall down her cheeks.

"I'll wait for you," Adeline whispered before she let herself go.

**~*~**

Something didn't feel right. Adeline was cold and a hard metal surface supported her body. She was sore. Her whole body hurt, but felt new. The past few days were a blur. Or maybe it was weeks, or perhaps moths. Adeline didn't know. She started by moving her fingers and toes. Then she opened up her eyes only to be greeted by a blinding light which caused her to close them again. Soon there was the sound of a heavy metal door opening then slamming shut.

"I must congratulate you, Dr. Zola," a German accent sliced through the air. "Your formula has improved."

"Yes, well we can't be sure of it yet," a different man responded. Adeline identified the voice to be that of a Swiss man.

"Hans was correct about her," the German man said. "She will shape the war."

"Well, we have yet to shape her mind, the body is one thing, but the mind … That is something I have yet to truly tamper with," the Swiss man responded. They were close to her and she knew that even if she did make a move, they were most likely stronger than her, especially in her weakened state.

"I don't want any mistakes on this one, Zola," the German man said.

"Of course," the Swiss man responded nervously as the heavy metal door slammed shut. She soon felt hands on her, checking her pulse. Her eyes shot open, grabbing the doctor's throat. She had horribly miscalculated how many people were in the room as she threw the doctor down and swung off the metal table, elbowing another doctor, making her way toward the exit. There was a loud siren going off, red lights flashing overhead. Soldiers burst in from the door, their guns pointed at Adeline.

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" The Swiss man, Adeline had found to be called Zola, called over the commotion. They were at a standstill. Adeline was breathing hard and the doctors were groaning behind her.

"Agent Adams, let us help you," Zola said, hiding behind a soldier. Adeline was so concentrated on the soldiers in front of her, she didn't realize a doctor with a syringe come up behind her until it was too late. Adeline turned sharply, the empty syringe shattering on the floor. Adeline stumbled, catching herself on a table with surgical tools. She wasn't about to be a prisoner. She picked up a scalpel, bringing it to her wrist. However, before she could bring the shaking blade in contact with her skin, she fell to the floor, the scalpel clattering on the ground.

"No," Adeline slurred, trying to reach for the tool before everything went dark.

**~*~**

Adeline didn't know how long she had been in the Hydra compound, but she knew that she had to get out. She sat in her cell, staring at the floor, her thin shirt hanging off of her, her eyes sunken in and her figure getting thinner and thinner. There was a tray of food set down on the floor as the other untouched food tray was taken out. She didn't bother to look up at the man, she simply stared at the same grey spot of concrete on the wall of her cell. There were constantly echoes of screaming through the concrete halls, enough to make any sane person tremble. Once in a while she would see someone being dragged past her cell.

"You know, I have a wife back home. Two kids too, they're real nice. It's all thanks to my wife, you know. She knows how to raise 'em," a thin man rambled as he was forcefully escorted past Adeline's cell. She was sure that her family received a condolence letter. She only wished she was dead. Her cell door opened another time and two soldiers in all black took her by the arms. She got shower privileges once every week. She was stripped of her clothes and sprayed down with cold water from a hose. She shook, goosebumps forming on her skin while the cold water sprayed her bare back. After her shower, they cut her hair. It was getting a bit too unruly for their liking. Soon she was sat in a lab, strapped to a metal chair with strange machines all around the room.

"She hasn't eaten in seven days," the Swiss doctor fretted. A man with sharp cheekbones, thin brown hair and clad in all black, nodded, looking Adeline up and down.

"I think she just needs a bit of encouragement, yes," the German man said, walking up to Adeline as though she were a fish in a fishbowl. Adeline glared up at the haunting man.

"Prep her," he ordered, straightening up.

"But this method hasn't proven effective Herr Schmidt," Zola said, a nervous glint in his eyes.

"Try it again," Schmidt said simply, walking out. Zola let out a frustrated sigh as the man exited the room and nodded to the surrounding doctors. The straps around Adeline's arms were tightened as the metal machine lowered itself over her head. Adeline's breathing increased and her body began to shake in uncontrollable fear. An electrifying wave ran through her body, causing her muscles to tighten painfully. She let out a scream as the pain only intensified, her mind going blank. She held on tightly to the photo of her, Bucky and Steve in her mind. She didn't want to let them go. She couldn't.

_It was loud in the grand dance hall. People were laughing, drinking and smoking while cameras flashed. Adeline had a smile on her face as she turned to Bucky who held out a cigarette for her._

_"James, you're going to get me in trouble," Adeline said, taking the cigarette between her fingers while Bucky held a flame to the end. She breathed in, the end of the cigarette burning while smoke rose. She breathed out the smoke into his face and he chuckled._

_"It's just one cigarette," Bucky said before turning to Steve. "You want one?" Steve took a cigarette from Bucky's fingers, lighting it before he began coughing._

_"That's disgusting," Steve wheezed. Both Adeline and Bucky laughed before he ordered them all a round of drinks._

_"I like this Bucky," Adeline complimented, taking her drink in her hands._

_"Yeah, 18 year old Bucky is very generous," Steve chuckled._

_"Hey, I can legally buy alcohol now, I may as well treat you guys," Bucky said, pulling his two friends into his side. That night he had to bring both Adeline and Steve back to his place. Adeline clung to Bucky as he sat Steve down on the couch while he brought Adeline to his bed. He began to walk away but Adeline gripped his hand._

_"Stay," Adeline mumbled._

Adeline remembered that evening as though it were yesterday. She was 17, her and Bucky were just starting to get along again after Gertrude. That was all that kept Adeline sane in her concrete cell.

"I promise I'll wait for you and Steve," Adeline said to Bucky. There was never a response which Adeline was grateful for. For the past few months, she had resorted to talking to Bucky and Steve, recalling stories from their youth.

"Hey," A voice caught Adeline's attention.

"Hey," it said again.

"Hello?" Adeline questioned, not able to muster up the energy to look around.

"You know, I can always tell the nights when you aren't here," it was distinctly a male voice, most likely French. "Your stories. They calm me."

"Glad I could help someone in this hell," Adeline managed to respond with a weak chuckle. Her lips were chapped and it hurt to move any part of her body. She was getting significantly worse each day. Her hair had begun to fall out. She would find clumps of it on the ground or in her hand.

"All I can do to repay you now is to tell you one in return," the Frenchman said.

"I'd like that," Adeline said with a weak smile.

"Well, you see …" The Frenchman went on to tell about his childhood in Provence, his life before the war. Adeline laughed and cried with this man as he told his stories in the most beautiful way she thought she would ever hear.


	10. Chapter 10

"Adeline," the Frenchman's voice, whom Adeline had come to know as Louis, broke Adeline from her sleep. "Adeline, I think something is happening." There were gunshots and shouting. It wasn't the screaming that usually plagued these concrete hallways, but joyous shouting. She was too weak to get up and try to see what was happening.

"Adeline, are you still with me?" Louis asked. "Adeline?"

"Yeah, I'm still here," Adeline's voice cracked.

"I think they're liberating the compound," he said, eager to see who their savior was. "Hey! Down here!" Louis shouted. "Viens ici! We're down here!" Adeline closed her eyes, leaning her head against the cement wall. She could be free. She let out a small laugh. She could imagine Bucky's smile and Steve's arms around her. Of course it wouldn't be the same. She had grown thin over the months of her imprisonment.

"Merci, mon ami!" Louis exclaimed as his cell door was opened. "My friend, she's in the cell down here. Come." Adeline opened her eyes, blinking, trying to clear her vision. She saw Louis for the first time. He was a tall, thin man. His hair looked like it once was thick and glossy, but after months of imprisonment, it was thin. It looked like he ate the food the Hydra soldiers gave him as he wasn't nearly as thin as Adeline.

"Adeline?" A familiar voice questioned and Adeline gave a weak smile. A man in a red, white, and blue suit walked into her cell. She found it rather ostentatious after all she saw these past few months was grey. His face came into focus and her smile widened.

"Steve," she breathed as he pulled her in for a hug.

"I thought you were dead," Steve said.

"So did I," Adeline breathed as he helped her up from the squeaky cot.

"Get her out of here," Steve ordered Louis.

"Of course," Louis agreed, aiding Adeline, draping her arm around Louis' shoulders.

"Wait, Steve, where are you going?" Adeline asked, still holding Steve's hand.

"I've gotta find Bucky," he said.

"Bucky? What happened to Bucky?"

"I'll tell you everything once you're safe," Steve said. "Go!" He began running in the opposite direction of Adeline. An explosion shook the compound and Louis urged them faster. Adeline was stumbling next to him, her arm draped over his shoulders.

"He will be fine, come," Louis encouraged as they reached the exit. Louis grabbed a gun from a dead soldier, offering them some form of protection.

"Get me a gun," Adeline said. Louis raised his eyebrows, but gave her a gun without another word.

"Let's go," Louis said.

**|Tuesday, September 8, 1942|**

Some part of Adeline didn't want to tell the M.O.R. that she was alive and well, but the message was sent once she was able to function properly. Every day, Bucky would come to see her, check on her progress. Sometimes he would sit with her for hours, just talking or playing a card game to pass the time. Today was the day she was actually allowed to walk without someone to help her. She sat on the edge of the hospital bed, getting her wounds dressed.

"Hey, Adi," Steve's voice caused Adeline to look up.

"Hey," Adeline responded with a smile. "God, I don't think I'll ever get used to you looking like that." Steve laughed, looking down and shaking his head.

"Yeah, me neither," he admitted.

"You know how I found out about your idiotic plan to become a super soldier?" Adeline questioned.

"No ..." Steve trailed off, looking guiltily at Adeline because he knew he didn't tell her.

"I found it in a file when I was on a mission. A _file_ , Steve," Adeline said, getting up from the bed, followed by Steve. "You complete idiot, you didn't think to tell your best friend about what you were up to? And for three months I sat in that Hydra compound, only looking forward to beating you up for not telling me." Even though Steve was now taller than Adeline, she could tell that she still could intimidate him.

"Well, to be fair, you died," Steve stated. Adeline made sure her bandage was tight around her hand as she balled it, sending a punch at Steve. He let out a pained gasp, placing a hand over his jaw. Adeline gave him a glare, walking past him.

"Adi!" He called after her. "Adeline, come on. Hey!" Steve grabbed Adeline's upper arm, spinning her around so she stopped walking away from him. He was much stronger than before and Adeline didn't like it.

"What?" Adeline asked.

"You can't stay mad at me forever," Steve said.

"Want a bet?" Adeline asked.

"Okay, okay, just ... I'm going out tonight if you wanted to join me. There's a bar a few blocks from here. Bucky will be there and a few of the soldiers," Steve said.

"I don't even have a dress," Adeline said softly. Steve just smiled.

"That's no problem, follow me," he said, taking her hand and leading her to a tent.

**~*~**

"Darling, I'm sure this is going to be the one, come on out," Peggy said encouragingly. Steve had sent Adeline with Agent Peggy Carter to shop for a dress. She was beautiful and Adeline could tell how Steve fell for her no matter how much he denied it.

"Okay, okay," Adeline said. She pushed aside the curtain and revealed herself in a loose dress. The expensive material looked like a cheap rag as it hung off Adeline's body.

"Well, it could be a bit tighter in the waist," she said hesitantly.

"I'm sorry," Adeline sighed.

"No, no, dear, there's nothing to be apologizing for," Peggy said. "You're just so ... small." Adeline knew Peggy wanted to know what happened to her in the Hydra base. Though Adeline had gained much of her weight back in just the few weeks she had returned, she was still rather thin.

"Excuse me," Peggy said to the passing Italian woman who owned the small boutique. "Could we get alterations?"

"Yes, yes, of course," the older woman said in a cheery voice. She was plump with neat grey hair. "Come, come." The older woman led Adeline out, taking measurements.

"Can I just not go?" Adeline mumbled as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was messily cut and many large parts were missing, causing her thin figure look sickly.

"Bucky will want to see you there," Peggy said, sitting to the side of Adeline.

"Not like this," Adeline responded.

"Don't talk like that, Adeline," Peggy scolded softly.

"Peggy, you can't honestly think I look beautiful like this," Adeline said, getting mad at herself more than anything.

"Adeline, you are beautiful," Peggy insisted. "You've just been to hell and back. Besides, your healing is going extraordinarily well for a person who has been held captive for three months. If he can't see that then you should move on." A flash of sadness clouded Peggy's eyes and Adeline could only assume that she had personal experience. Adeline nodded, looking back at herself in the mirror. She did truly look sickly, but she was still Adeline. Peggy was right in some regard. If Adeline looked at herself only a week ago, she would have been unrecognizable. Adeline quickly changed, handing the dress to the Italian shopkeeper to be altered then she sat across from Peggy.

"You know, I was only kept there for three months, but it felt like years," Adeline said. "My partner and I were on an assignment. He, uh, left me there. I got hit and he made a choice. And he chose to pack up the files and leave."

"I'm sorry," Peggy said wholeheartedly, standing up and walking over so she could sit next to Adeline. "James is lucky to have someone like you." Adeline sighed, shaking her head.

"No, he's not," she said.

"Adeline, what are you talking about?"

"I haven't told him yet," Adeline said.

"Told him what?" Peggy asked.

"I can't have children," Adeline said, biting her lip as though it might stop the tears from falling.

"Adeline, dear, I'm so sorry," Peggy attempted to console Adeline as she breathed in shakily.

"What if he doesn't love me anymore?" Adeline asked. "If I can't give him a family …"

"Adeline, get those nasty thoughts out of your head this instant," Peggy ordered. "The way Bucky looks at you, the way you talk to each other, he can't simply stop loving you."

"You think?"

"I know."

Both Peggy and Adeline made it to the bar. The music was loud and cheery. It lifted Adeline's spirits as they walked into the familiar bar. It felt as though she was back home, in Brooklyn when the war was the least of their worries.

"Buck!" Adeline exclaimed, pulling him in for an embrace.

"You look amazing, agent," Bucky said, a bright glint in his eyes, something Adeline hadn't seen in a long time. He was just as beaten and broken as Adeline, but they continued.

"Not so bad yourself, sarge," Adeline said, fixing the collar of his shirt so it was all the way buttoned and his tie was neat. "You've already had too much to drink."

"I think you need a drink," Bucky said, hailing the bartender. She took a seat as a drink was placed in front of her.

"The last time I got drunk was 1936," Adeline said.

"Not true," Bucky said, setting down his drink. "Christmas of 1940. You came home earlier than I expected and I found you passed out on my sofa with a bottle in your hand. You were exceptional at picking locks and even better at stealing my booze."

"Okay, I haven't been drunk since 1940," Adeline said.

"Oh, wait, August, 1941," Bucky said. "We went to Coney Island that day. There was a beach party -"

"Okay! I get it," Adeline said with a laugh.

"You kissed that guy, oh, what was his name? Robert ... Robert Willis, that's right," Bucky continued teasing.

"June, 1940, you came to D.C. and I was still at work. I came home to find you in my bed, your shirt completely undone and your trousers were nowhere to be found," Adeline laughed. "You were tuned into _Buck Rogers_ on the radio." Bucky shrugged, laughing.

"Here's to the days with less war and more alcohol," Bucky said, raising his glass.

"Well said," Adeline responded, clinking their glasses and taking a drink. "So, I hear Steve's making an elite team to take down the evils of the world. You joining?"

"Well, someone's gotta make sure that punk doesn't do anything stupid," Bucky said.

"I figured as much," Adeline said.

"What about you?" Bucky asked. "You getting out?" Adeline let out a humorless laugh.

"I thought about it," Adeline admitted.

"And?"

"And I don't think I can give it up," Adeline said and Bucky gave her a disapproving look. "Don't look at me like that!"

"Adeline, you almost got yourself killed," Bucky protested.

"Yeah, and I want to see the look on my partner's face when he sees me come back. Alive," Adeline said. Bucky shook his head, taking another drink.

"Well, come on then, I can't let you leave without a dance," Bucky said, getting up and holding out his hand. Adeline smiled, accepting his hand. He still seemed weak from his imprisonment as well but he still had that lively glint to his eyes and that softness of his hands.

"I can't stand you, you know that, right?" Adeline mumbled as they moved with the pace of the slow music. He twirled her around and smiled as she came back to him.

"Well, then, I guess we're even," Bucky said.

"I want you to be careful," Adeline said. "Watch out for Steve, but also watch out for yourself. You're no good to me dead."

"Yes, ma'am," Bucky responded with a smile. "You better take care of yourself too."

"Yes, sir," Adeline said, her forehead resting on his chest, breathing in his scent, making sure to memorize every little detail before she left. The way his hands felt on her hips, the way his arms wrapped around her as he hugged her, swinging her around, the way the corners of his eyes crinkled as he laughed, and her favorite part about Bucky, his voice.

"Talk to me, Buck," Adeline said as they walked aimlessly.

"What do you want me to talk about?" He questioned, his hand squeezing hers.

"Anything," Adeline said. And Bucky began talking of his adventures, of his friends he had made. The sound of his voice soothed her. It made it seem like everything was going to be okay.

"I can't wait to make you mine," Bucky said, leaning down and kissing her. Adeline hesitantly kissed him back before pulling away.

"Buck, do you want children?" She asked softly.

"Of course, I want children. I want us to grow our own family," Bucky said, a smile on his face. Adeline looked down, biting her lip. "Do you not want that?"

"I do, you have no idea how much I want a family with you," Adeline said, looking up at him.

"Is there something wrong?" Bucky asked, cupping her cheeks in his hands.

"No ... yes," Adeline said. "I just want you to know that I love you. I love you so much."

"Of course I know that, and I love you. What are you saying?" He said softly, brushing the pads of his thumbs over her cheek before she pulled away. A look of hurt crossed his features.

"I don't know how to say this," Adeline said softly, looking down at the ground.

"Say what? Adeline, you're scaring me," Bucky said. "Are you ... breaking up with me?"

"I can't provide you with a family," Adeline said, tears brimming her eyes as she looked up at him.

"You can't have children?" He asked quietly, sadness cloaking his face. Adeline shook her head as tears began flowing down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry. I should've listened to you. I should've gone home. On my last mission, I was hit. The wound got infected and I can't ..." Adeline shook her head as Bucky pulled her in for a hug. She cried into his chest.

"It's okay," he breathed, kissing the crown of her head. "We can ... we can figure something out." Adeline nodded as they began walking back to the camp, Bucky's arm tightly around her waist. Bucky helped her into her tent before getting her undressed, kissing the scar across her abdomen. He took off his white undershirt, gently pulling it over her head before kissing her lips. He then gently sat her into the small bed before getting in next to her, wrapping his arms tightly around her figure. She felt safe in his arms as he pulled the sheets over the both of them, holding her tight. He began pressing soft kisses to her neck and cheek.

"I will love you no matter what," he breathed before she fell asleep.

**|Thursday, February 24, 1944|**

It was overcast and bitter cold in the snow covered mountains. The view however, was worth it. It echoed a brief sense of hope as snowflakes drifted back and forth landing on the boots of the soldiers who stood idle, watching, waiting. James Falsworth held a pair of binoculars up to his eyes, scanning the snowy landscape while Jim and Gabe dialed into the German radio, hoping to pick up on some chatter. The Howling Commandos hadn't had a lead on Zola in a while and they were determined to see it through. Bucky looked across the great expanse, eyeing the long zipline, connecting them to another mountain.

"Remember when Adeline and I made you ride the Cyclone at Coney Island?" Bucky asked, trying not to look down, knowing all too well that there was a never ending drop.

"Yeah, and I threw up?" Steve asked, making sure he remembered correctly.

"This isn't payback, is it?" Bucky asked, though with a slight smile.

"Now, why would I do that?" Steve asked, smiling and checking the zipline once more. Bucky shook his head, chuckling.

"You still have that ring, right?" Bucky asked in a softer voice, though it could still be heard above the wind.

"Of course," Steve said.

"I just forgot to tell you that, if I don't make it thorough this war alive, I want you to give it to her," Bucky said. "Tell her I love her." Steve looked over at his friend who looked over the great landscape.

"Can you promise me that?" Bucky asked, shifting his gaze back to Steve.

"I promise."

"We were right," Gabe Jones said, causing both Steve and Bucky to turn. "Hydra dispatcher gave him permission to open up the throttle. Wherever he's going, they must need him bad." Steve exchanged a quick glance with Bucky before putting on his helmet, causing the rest of the soldiers to get ready. Falsworth brought the binoculars up to his eyes once more, this time, spotting a speeding train round the corner, almost blending in with the snow covered mountains.

"Let's get going, because they're moving like the devil," Falsworth informed the team.

"We've only got about a ten second window," Steve shouted above the wind to his team. "You miss that window, we're bugs on a windshield." Steve got his zipline ready, adjusting his grip and taking a deep breath.

"Mind the gap," Falsworth warned, giving a wary look to the sharp drop down from the mountain.

"Better get moving bugs!" Dugan shouted his word of encouragement.

"Matinant!" Jacques shouted and Steve pushed off the ground. Next was Bucky then finally Gabe Jones. Each dropped one by one onto the roof of the train, staying low. They found a ladder and Steve lowered himself down, opening the metal door, allowing him inside the grey train. Bucky soon followed, closing the door, feeling some relief at the warmth of the train car. The train was silent other than the repetitive beating of the tracks beneath them. Steve walked ahead, cautiously looking around, finding it strange that no one was shooting at them.

Steve looked back at Bucky who had his gun propped against his shoulder, wondering the same thing. Steve held his handgun low as he walked into the next car only for the metal doors to slide closed behind him, causing him and Bucky to be separated. The doors on the other side of each car opened to reveal Hydra soldiers. Three filed into Bucky's car as he turned and shot at them while one stood in Steve's car with a specialized Hydra weapon. Steve shot at the man but he quickly retaliated, a blue light nearly missing Steve as he covered himself with his shield and ducked behind a stack of cargo.

Bucky shot and successfully dropped on hostile, switching back and forth from his defensive positions. He dropped another as his gun clicked into an empty chamber. He quickly moved to the other side, getting out his handgun, trying to get a visual on the third Hydra soldier. Bucky's gunshots filled the air as Steve ran and jumped up, swinging into the Hydra soldier. He raised his shield, successfully knocking him out. Steve used the soldier's gun to blast open the door so he could get to Bucky. Bucky shot over the cargo but cursed when his second gun clicked into an empty chamber. Steve stayed to the side of the door, grabbing his gun then opened the metal door. Bucky looked up at Steve as he tossed him the loaded gun. Steve ran around the corner, pushing one of the heavy packages, causing the Hydra soldier to slip into plain shooting sight for Bucky to take down.

"I had him on the ropes," Bucky said, looking at the still body of the soldier.

"I know you did," Steve breathed. There were faint footsteps and the readying of a gun which caused Steve to turn around.

"Get down!" Steve yelled, pushing Bucky behind him, and holding up his shield. The shot reflected off the metal, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the train. The wind and snow whipped around the car as Steve recovered from the force of the shot. Bucky quickly got up, grabbing the shield that had clamored to the ground. He shot at the Hydra soldier but the shots ricocheted off the metal walls of the train. The gun was ready and the Hydra soldier shot again, the blue energy hitting the shield directly in the center. The force of the shot pushed Bucky back out of the train. Steve got up, making quick with the soldier then rushing to the opening, tossing his helmet to the side.

"Bucky!" Steve called as he began making his way against the weak, now exterior side of the train. "Hang on!" Bucky tried to make his way over toward Steve, the railing creaking in protest. He had to hang on. For Adeline he had to. The snow whipped against his face, making everything a blur.

"Grab my hand!" Steve yelled. The railing creaked, shifting under Bucky's weight. "No!" The railing finally gave way. Bucky felt Steve's fingertips slip out of range. His breath caught in his throat and his stomach dropped. Bucky still reached out for Steve as he let out a scream and things began to slow down while he watched Steve row smaller and farther away. Steve could only watch as his friend fell into the icy ravine below. He held on tight to the railing, staring down at the once calming mountains that now presented themselves as red and murderous.

**~*~**

The war was still strong in Europe, however, Nazi forces began to turn to defensive strategies, giving the Allied powers a great advantage. For the past year Adeline had been working with Peggy and the S.S.R. to take down Hydra bases all around Europe. The S.S.R. had formed a relation with the M.O.R. in a common goal: eliminate Hydra. When she wasn't on a mission, she watched daily silent moving picture reports from the team. She was always relieved to see her boys alive. Once in a while they could be seen laughing as they played a card game to pass the time. For now, Adeline was waiting for her next mission while she stayed at the Howling Commando's home base in Italy.

"They're back!" A soldier rushed in to tell of the return of the mighty Howling Commandos. Adeline was eager to see Bucky. It had been three months and every day she had grown even more impatient. Adeline rushed out to greet them. The first one she saw was Steve and she pulled him in for a hug. He returned the embrace, though it seemed more desperate than before, his arms tightening around her.

"Welcome back, Steve," Adeline said but he still didn't let go. "Steve? What's wrong?" Adeline finally managed to pull away. She looked around for Bucky but he wasn't anywhere to be seen, making her stomach drop.

"Steve, where's Bucky?" Adeline asked, desperately hoping that what she thought happened, wasn't the case.

"Adeline …" Steve trailed off, as her gaze landed back on him. His eyes were red and it looked like he had been crying.

"Steve, what happened?" Adeline asked. "Please tell me he's okay. Please. Steve, please."

"I'm so sorry, Adeline," Steve choked out. Everything seemed to go silent as Adeline looked around at the rest of the team who hung their heads, not able to make eye contact with her. She swallowed thickly, tears forming in her eyes.

"No," she whispered, her hands covering her mouth.

"Adeline, please, I'm so sorry," Steve said, walking up too her, but she took a step back, not wanting his sympathy.

"You - you were supposed to protect him," Adeline said, blinking through the tears.

"Adeline -"

"You were supposed to keep him safe!" Adeline shouted, pushing Steve's shoulders.

"Adeline, please, it wasn't his fault," Adeline felt Peggy's hands on her shoulders, but she shook them off.

"I hate you!" Adeline shouted, her voice echoing throughout the camp, angry with tears. "You promised me! _He_ promised me he would come home _safe_." Adeline punched Steve in the shoulder and he took it.

"You promised me you would bring him home!" Adeline shouted, punching him again. She felt weak, like this whole thing was a dream. She angrily wiped away her tears, looking at the defeated team. "I want to see his body." They all shifted uncomfortably.

"Adeline, he's gone," Gabe Jones spoke this time. "He fell. We couldn't get his body." Adeline felt numb. She couldn't even have a proper funeral for him. He was just gone.

"I didn't even get to say goodbye," Adeline whispered. She felt two soft hands guide her away and a calm voice speaking to her. She, however, didn't register what the British voice was saying as Peggy led her to her tent.

For the next few days, Adeline shut down. She stayed in her bed, flipping through the old photographs, her pillow stained with tears. She continued to mumble soft 'I love you's', hoping to make up for all the times she didn't. Steve hadn't visited her yet. She suspected Peggy was keeping him away in fear of Adeline's reaction. She heard the door of her tent open and her mattress dip.

"Adeline, you need to eat, darling," Peggy said, rubbing Adeline's shoulder.

"I loved him," Adeline said, her breath catching in her throat.

"And he loved you too," Peggy insisted. "He wouldn't want to see you like this, so come on, you have to eat something.

"I want to see Steve," Adeline said, staring at one of many black and white photos of the three friends.

"Are you going to eat?" Peggy asked.

"Only if I get to see Steve," Adeline whispered. Peggy sighted and got up from the bed, walking out. Adeline waited, not moving from her position on the bed. She rubbed her finger over Bucky's face which was frozen in a smile. The door of Adeline's tent closed and Adeline turned to her side so see Steve standing in the doorway. Tears immediately sprung from her eyes.

"Steve," Adeline choked out, letting the photo fall from her grasp, "he's gone." Steve walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. She shot up, wrapping her arms around him, taking him by surprise.

"I'm sorry," Adeline sobbed into Steve's shoulder. He simply rubbed her back in comforting circles. "He was your friend too. I know you did your best. I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Adeline," Steve said as she finally pulled away, wiping at the tears, her eyes felt raw and her chest felt heavy.

"He gave me this,' Steve said, pulling out a small black velvet bag. "He said he wanted me to keep it safe for him." Adeline took the velvet bag with shaky hands and opened it. Inside was a beautiful diamond ring. Adeline choked back another sob as she held the cold metal in her hand.

"I helped him pick it out at the jeweler's just in town here," Steve admitted. "I figured you're the one it belongs to."

"Thank you," Adeline whispered, fresh tears falling down her cheeks. She slid the ring on her left hand ring finger. At first the metal was cold against her skin but it soon warmed up, feeling as though it belonged.


	11. Chapter 11

**|Allied Base, Southern Italy|  
** **|Friday, March 24, 1944|**

It had been exactly one month since Bucky's death. Adeline, for the most part, got back on her feet. Steve was always good help when he was around. He had changed though. He was always so focused on Hydra. It had turned into his personal goal to eliminate the whole organization. Adeline supposed that she wasn't the same either. She continued to fight for the cause, though it wasn't for the glory or the liberty of the world, it was for her revenge. She loved the feeling whenever she was sent out in the field. Over the past month, she resorted to training as much as she could. It took her mind off of Bucky and Steve when he was gone. She always had the ring on her. Either on her left hand or, when she was working out, on her dog tags. She never quite let herself forget about him.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead as she hit the punching bag again. This base was one of the more permanent ones with the good pillows, the better food and only the occasional rat. Her favorite was the training room. The room was empty, causing the hits and gasps of effort echo off the wall. If she was lucky, she would be able to see Bucky leaning up against the wall, smiling at her.

"Do you ever sleep?" A voice broke Adeline from her concentration. She huffed, stopping the bag from swinging. She looked over to see a young man with dark hair and a groomed moustache.

"No," Adeline said, returning to the punching bag. Howard Stark was the 'brightest mind' in the war. Adeline couldn't deny that he was bright in the sciences, but when it came to leaving Adeline alone, he failed miserably.

"You know, your reflexes and agility don't match up to your stature," he said, walking in further, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his trousers. Adeline punched again, trying to ignore him. "Especially if you haven't been eating or sleeping," he continued. Adeline stopped to look at him. "We've all noticed." She gave Howard a wary look before focusing her gaze back onto the punching bag, raising her wrapped fists, but she didn't punch as Howard's eyes were still on her.

"What are you really here for?" Adeline questioned, dropping her hands to her side.

"Steve went out on another assignment," Howard said. "I figured you could benefit in some sort of companionship."

"Well, thanks, but I'm good. Great actually," Adeline said, not meaning it. "I'd be even better if you had an assignment for me."

"I just … I figured since he didn't tell you …"

"Steve never tells me anything anymore," Adeline said bitterly as she sat down, unwrapping her hands. "He's not exactly the same Steve I grew up with in Brooklyn."

"War changes people," Howard said, sitting next to her. "It's changing you."

"You think I haven't noticed?" Adeline asked, tossing the wrappings to the side.

"Then what keeps you here?" Howard asked. "Go home. Have a life of your own."

"That's what … James wanted me to do," Adeline admitted. Even now, his name still hurt. She played with the ring absentmindedly on her dog tags. "He wanted me to find someone else back in the states. But, he's the only one I loved and I think I ever will love. I should've told him how much he really meant to me." She laughed humorlessly, shaking her head. "It's stupid."

"It's not stupid," Howard insisted. "It's human."

"You know, it's been one month," Adeline reminisced. She figured he knew, but it didn't feel real even as she said it out loud.

"Yeah, and you need some sleep, some warm milk, and a bath, come on," Howard said, standing up, holding out his hand for her to take. She accepted it and they walked out of the training room. She couldn't help but see a bit of Bucky in him.

**|Saturday, November 11, 1944|**

Adeline was sitting at the bar alone, with only a drink in her hand. Many of the soldiers knew to keep out of Adeline's way when she was in one of her moods. She felt someone sit next to her and order a drink. He must be new.

"I figured you'd already be halfway to the heart of Germany by now," Steve's voice caused her to look up.

"Steve," Adeline greeted. "I figured I would be seeing you in a wooden box. And no, they sent another agent out. Apparently, I need some mental health days."

"That's not a bad idea," Steve said, getting his drink.

"You should take some of your own advice," Adeline countered.

"Yeah, well I'm not one for playing it safe," Steve said.

"Yeah, I know," Adeline said, taking a drink. "When's your next assignment?"

"Tomorrow morning," Steve said. "I figured we could do something tonight, like in the good old days." Adeline snorted, then hiccupped.

"You don't talk to me for weeks on end and now you want to take me out?" Adeline asked.

"We're going after Schmidt tomorrow," Steve said.

"Ah, so it's the next time I see you, you'll be in your custom red, white, and blue box," Adeline said.

"Adeline, please don't make me leave you like this," Steve pleaded.

"What did you have in mind?" Adeline asked with a sigh.

"Well, I hear there's a good swing diner a few blocks from this place," Steve said.

"Steve, you don't know how to dance," Adeline laughed.

"But you do," Steve said. "Tonight is about you, come on." Steve led Adeline diner which was bursting with music. He held open the door, allowing Adeline to walk in. She let herself be absorbed by the music, allowing it to lift her up. She sat at the table with Steve at the edge of the dance floor.

"So," Adeline began, tearing her eyes away from the dancers to look at Steve, "you and Peggy?" Steve's face turned a bright red as he looked very interested in the dancers. "Oh, come on, Steve," Adeline said with a smile. "I like her. I think she's good for you."

"Really?" Steve asked bashfully.

"Yeah," Adeline said. "You deserve something good after all of this."

"And you don't?" Steve asked.

"I had Bucky for almost 27 years," Adeline said. "And I couldn't have been happier -"

"It sounds like you're giving up," Steve said.

"No," Adeline sighed, "of course I'm not giving up. I'm just saying I've come to terms with the fact that no matter how many missions I go on, no matter how many times I pull that trigger, I'm never getting him back. The question is, have you?" Steve stayed silent, watching the dancers spin around on the dance floor.

"How about we get a raincheck on that dance," Steve said, getting up, tossing a few bills on the table and buttoning his uniform.

"Steve," Adeline said, getting up from her seat to try to stop him, but he turned sharply and walked out the door. Adeline sighed, sitting back in her seat, looking at the empty spot in front of her.

"Buck, if you can hear me, I need you to know that Steve has been a pain in my ass since you left," Adeline mumbled.

"Yeah, I can see that," Bucky said, startling Adeline. Bucky took the place of Steve just across the table. Adeline shook her head and took the few bills to order a drink. Lord knew she needed it. When she returned, the empty spot was shortly taken up by Peggy.

"I just saw Steve," she said carefully.

"Oh, yeah?" Adeline asked, taking a drink.

"You know, he does care about you," Peggy said.

"Sometimes it's hard to tell," Adeline said.

"If you'd like, I'm getting a team together. I'd like you to join," Peggy said.

"I thought I was on my mental health break," Adeline laughed, taking another drink.

"Well, by the looks of it, you're not resting as you should be," Peggy said. "So, you may as well be of use."

"What's the objective?" Adeline asked.

"Get Steve in and take over the Hydra base," Peggy said. "All the information is in this folder." Peggy slid across a manila folder with the operation plan. "We leave at 0500 hours," Peggy said. She moved to get up, but Adeline stopped her.

"Peggy," Adeline said and Peggy waited patiently for her to continue. "I know Steve has been wound up pretty tight lately, but thank you."

"For what?" She asked.

"For being there for him. I haven't exactly been the friend he needed when James … left," Adeline said.

"I'm just doing my job,' Peggy stated, though a slight pink tinted her cheeks.

"I think both you and I know it's more than that," Adeline said with a smile.

"I -"

"No, no, don't worry about it, I won't tell," Adeline said. "Besides, you two are good for each other."

"Thank you," Peggy whispered. Adeline smiled as she got up and left the swing diner.

**|Sunday, November 12, 1944|**

"Our main objective is to get Captain Rogers in … alive," Colonel Chester Phillips said.

"And then?" Adeline asked, checking her gun.

"Then we take down the base," he responded.

"Sounds simple," Adeline said, reviewing the map again.

"As simple as a few dozen Hydra tanks can get," the colonel said.

"Colonel, we're ready," a soldier informed, shutting off the radio.

"Alright, move out!" The colonel ordered.

**~*~**

"Communications room secure!" Adeline shouted down the hallway to Howard. She had never felt more alive as she dragged the bodies of the Hydra soldiers against the wall while Howard walked in. She saw him pale at the sight. Howard was never one for blood and gore but this was war.

"Can you get Steve up?" Adeline asked. She was worried about him.

"I can try," Howard said. Adeline had wanted to go with him, but she knew that it would only prove ineffective. She was to stay on the ground, securing the base. He flipped a few switches until the whole board lit up.

"Okay, good," Howard said. "Now we wait."

"Now we wait," Adeline echoed as Howard left to go help the others.

"I thought I told you to keep an eye on Steve," Bucky's accusing voice rang. Adeline turned to see Bucky standing in the corner, his arms crossed, leaning against the wall.

"I can only do so much, Barnes," Adeline responded, leaning back in her chair. "You know better than anyone he was always too dumb to run from a fight."

"And you're not with him," Bucky said.

"Why are you so annoying today?" Adeline asked.

"No more so than usual, Adeline," Bucky said with a smirk, but when he saw her scowling he rolled his eyes. "I'm kidding."

"Why did you leave?" Adeline asked, looking up at him.

"I had to, doll," he said quietly. "It was my time to go." He gently brushed his thumb along her cheek but she felt nothing. Adeline looked back up at Bucky. He looked real, just like she remembered him.

"But you left me," Adeline said.

"You're strong," Bucky responded.

"Come in, this is Captain Rogers, do you read me?" Steve's voice broke through the speakers, static crackled in his voice but she could hear him. "Come in, this is Captain Rogers, do -"

"Steve!" Adeline breathed, running to the microphone. "Steve, where are you? Are you alright?"

"Adeline, is that you?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, it's me," Adeline said with a relieved smile. "Just hold on, let me get Howard."

"No, Adeline … I can't land this thing. I'm too far out," Steve said.

"But Steve -"

"Adi, listen to me," Steve said, "I'm sorry. I should've been a better friend to you. I want you to go home after this, have a family. I know you love Bucky, but he would've wanted you to move on. He told me that he loved you, Adeline."

"Steve, don't do this to me, don't leave me," Adeline said, her voice getting thick.

"I'm sorry," Steve said. "I love you and Bucky. Please, go home and live a long life."

"Steve …" Adeline cried as she felt Bucky's presence behind her.

"Steve?" Peggy's voice sounded as she ran up to the microphone. "Steve, is that you? Are you alright?" Adeline got up from the chair, rushing out of the sudden bustle of the room. She sat in the hallway, her hands laced in her hair.

"Told you he was going to get in trouble," Bucky said. Adeline looked to her right to see Bucky sitting next to her, his arms propped up on his knees.

"You seem pretty calm," Adeline breathed, trying to hold back her tears. Bucky shrugged.

"You should go back in there," Bucky said, nodding to where Peggy was hunched over the control panel. Adeline shook her head.

"I can't," she whispered.

"Come on," Bucky said, getting up, holding out his hand for her. She reached out for Bucky's extended hand, only for her fingers to pass right through his. He looked down sadly as Adeline got herself up, slowly walking into the control room.

"You know, I still don't know how to dance," Steve said with a laugh.

"I'll show you how," Peggy responded shakily. "Just be there."

"You'll have the band play something slow," Steve said. "I'd hate to step on you …" The line went dead, only static could be heard. Adeline looked up at Bucky who gave her a sad glance.

"Steve?" Peggy asked, tears falling down her cheeks. "Steve."

**|Saturday, May 5, 1945|**

It had been over a year since Bucky had gone and six months since Steve's death. They had a memorial service, but it wasn't really a closing. They hadn't found either of their bodies which caused Adeline to continued to hold onto them. The war was finally coming to a close and Adeline did the exact opposite of what Steve suggested. She couldn't go back to her normal life. Her past still haunted her, followed her. Bucky, his visits becoming no less frequent, continued to grace Adeline with his presence. She hadn't seen her family since she left for the war. She didn't know if she could face them after all that had happened. She wasn't the same and she knew that.

"Adeline," Peggy greeted as Adeline stored yet another file of a deactivated soldier. The cleanup process after a war was messy.

"Hey, Peggy," Adeline greeted.

"I thought you might want to see this," she said, handing Adeline a folder. She hesitantly opened it, revealing Bucky's file. Over the top sheet there was a big red stamp that marked his deactivated status. His picture was pinned in the corner. It was taken before the war when his eyes shone a glimmer of hope and his hat was just a bit crooked. Adeline looked around for Bucky, spotting him against the opposite wall, smiling at her.

"Thank you," Adeline said, looking back down at the file.

"If you would like, I'm sure the S.S.R. has room for more agents," Peggy said. "Even though the war is over, the world still needs protection."

"Thank you, Peggy but my place is with the M.O.R.," Adeline responded with a sad smile. "And I have some things to sort out at home. Some things with Bucky's family … And my own."

"I understand," Peggy said. "Just write to me." Peggy gave Adeline a sheet of paper with her mailing address.

"Of course," Adeline responded with a smile. "I look forward to it."

Soon, Adeline was on her way home. She hadn't seen Brooklyn since 1942 and a lot had changed. As soon as she stepped into her hometown, she looked to her right where Bucky was walking beside her.

"Welcome home, Adeline," Bucky said as she walked with the many other soldiers who were returning home. Crowds of people awaited for their loved ones to come home, some holding welcoming signs.

"Welcome home, Bucky," Adeline responded. She rotated the ring on her ring finger thoughtfully.

"We're still having a May wedding, right?" Adeline asked.

"If that's what you want, doll," Bucky responded.

"And we'll have a family, just like you promised?: Adeline asked as she continued to walk.

"Just like I promised," Bucky confirmed. She could almost feel his hot breath on her cheek. "And a white picket fence house." Adeline looked up at Bucky only to see blue sky and a few stray balloons floating higher and higher.

"I'd like that," Adeline whispered.

**~*~**

Just as Adeline's mother had promised, there was a big homecoming meal. All three of Adeline's brothers were there along with Bucky's family. They were all talking loudly and cheerily while Adeline stared blankly at her untouched plate. The open seat in front of her was soon occupied by Bucky. He smiled as he looked around at the lively table. If he were here, he would jump into any conversation with a lively glint in his eyes while Steve would speak up causing others to get involved.

"Come on, Adeline, you have to eat something," Bucky said but she didn't respond, she simply looked at him. "Don't give me that look, I know what's good for my girl. Maybe we could go dancing tonight. I'm sure there'll be plenty of men just come back from war out dancing. A pretty dame such as yourself won't have any problem finding a man to dance with you."

"I'm going back, you know," Adeline said and Bucky's face fell.

"What, dear?" Marie questioned. Adeline tore her eyes away from Bucky to look to her mother. Everyone at the table looked at her expectantly. Adeline sent a glare towards Bucky who simply shrugged.

"Nothing," Adeline said. "I'm just not hungry. It's been a long day, I think I'm just going to head upstairs and clean up."

"Oh, okay," Marie said as her daughter got up, leaving her untouched plate at the table.

"You know, you're really getting in my way," Adeline said to Bucky who followed her up the stairs.

"I wouldn't be here if you didn't want me to be here," Bucky responded, causing Adeline to turn around, her being one step above him made her look slightly down at him.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you must want me here, so I am," Bucky said. "This is all in your head, Adeline. They can't see me."

"So I look crazy when I talk to you," Adeline stated.

"Well, yeah," Bucky responded. Adeline rolled her eyes, walking up the rest of the steps, Bucky on her heels. "Let's just go dancing, doll. You don't really mean you want to go back. After all they did to you? I mean, Adi, you're not you anymore."

"I know I'm not me," Adeline responded, closing her bedroom door behind her, beginning to pace the floor. "That's why I can't stay here."

"Of course you can," Bucky said. "It'll just take a little while to get used to it."

"James, cant you see? I don't fit in here anymore," Adeline said, stopping her pacing. "How am I supposed to walk through these streets with another man? How am I supposed to do that without thinking of you and Steve?"

"You'd be surprised what you can do," Bucky said, causing her to start pacing again.

"Why are you even trying to get me to move on? You're the one who loved me," Adeline accused.

"Okay, first of all, could you just stop pacing?" You're distracting me," Bucky said.

"No." Bucky sighed, knowing that he couldn't stop her from pacing even if he wanted to.

"I just want you to be happy," he admitted.

"I was happy. With you!" Adeline said, throwing her hands up in the air. "And recently, the only thing that's been keeping me sane is the M.O.R."

"Adeline?" A soft voice questioned with a knock on the door. Adeline looked toward the door then quieted Bucky before opening it to reveal William.

"William, hey," Adeline greeted, inviting him in.

"William, please tell Adeline that she's being a complete idiot for wanting to get back in," Bucky said.

"Shut up," Adeline said quickly.

"What?" William asked.

"I didn't say anything, what is it?" Adeline responded.

"How are you?" William asked..

"See," Bucky began, "you have people here who love you. Stay here, Adeline."

"I'm alright," Adeline responded.

"I think you're lying," William said.

"What?"

"You just got back from a war, Adeline," William said. "A war that took your fiancé and your best friend."

"He's got a point there," Bucky said. Adeline bit her lip, trying not to lash out.

"Yeah, and I'm fine, that was a year ago," Adeline responded.

"You don't always have to be strong, Adeline," William said. "It's okay to not be alright."

"I said I wanted to take her dancing, but she wouldn't listen," Bucky said.

"Shut it!" Adeline snapped, instantly covering her mouth. "I need to go." Adeline rushed out of the room then out of the house. Her feet carried her to Bucky's old rundown house.

"Do you see what you do to me?" Adeline asked Bucky who was undoubtedly still there as she sat on the steps to his house.

"I think I've known for a while," Bucky said with a smirk, sitting next to her.

"Could you just stop talking? You're making me twitchy," Adeline said. There was no response which signaled his departure. Adeline took a deep breath, calming herself.

"Adeline, what are you doing here, honey?" Winifred, James' mother asked.

"I just wanted to see Bucky's room," Adeline admitted, standing up, trying to pull herself together.

"Of course," she responded, unlocking the front door. Adeline pushed open Bucky's door and it was just as she remembered it. Though it was a bit more tidy than when James was here, it was still his room. There were a few photos on the wall of Adeline, Steve, and Bucky all together. It seemed so long ago. That was before they went to war. That was before everything changed. They still had genuine smiles on their faces and Adeline could actually recognize Steve. Adeline sat on his bed, enjoying the quiet. She looked around the small room. There was still a faint hint of his smell. She spotted a small box that was labeled 'Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes: 107th'. Adeline walked over to it cautiously, taking off the lid. It appeared to be things that he had at the base in Italy. Inside were photos, journals, and stray pieces of paper. Adeline carefully picked through the mess, pulling out an old journal. Its pages were yellowed and the bottom right corner was stained with blood. Adeline swallowed hard, and opened the pages which had to be peeled apart. Bucky's handwriting littered every corner of the pages. She leaved through a few before one caught her eye. It was marked with a black and white photo of Adeline. She read.

_December 21st, 1943_

_Dear Adeline,_

_I just wanted to say that I love you. There's nothing more in this world that I want other than a future with you. Yet I am terrified that this war might not let that happen. So if it doesn't, I don't want you to be mad. I don't want you to waste your tears. I want you to live your life. I want you to go home and find someone to have a future with and know that I will be there with you every step of the way. And because I said that, I know you are going to do the exact opposite and that's why I fell in love with you, Adeline Marie Adams. So if you can't stay home, then please stay safe._

_You were the one that I could never figure out. I could never figure out how all those 'I hate you' s turned into 'I love you' s. And I guess that's part of the mystery that I have to leave unsolved despite the excessive amount of time the army gives me to think. I hope that one day your name will become Adeline Marie Barnes. But if not, I'll see you then._

_With love,_

_Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes_

"Did you mean it?" Adeline asked as she sat, tears brimming her eyes.

"Every word," came Bucky's soft response. She turned around to see Bucky sitting on his bed. "Adeline, it's time for you to find someone. It's time for me to go."

"No," Adeline said firmly. "No, you can't leave me." She got up, wanting to punch him, only knowing her fist would fly through thin air.

"Adi, you have to live your life," Bucky said, getting up. "Did you not just read that letter? It has been a year - over a year - you have to let me go."

"Then you shouldn't have given me this damn ring," Adeline said, pulling out her dog tags.

"Steve gave that to you so you would remember, not never let me go," Bucky stated, his voice rising.

"How can you expect me to love someone else like I loved you?" Adeline asked heatedly.

"Well, it starts by letting me go, I know that for sure," Bucky said.

"Buck …"

"I love you." He smiled sadly, placing a hand over Adeline's cheek. Though she couldn't feel it, she could imagine the heat of his hand as his soft fingertips grazed over her skin. Adeline tried to memorize the color of his eyes as he faded from her sight. The last thing she saw of him were his ocean blue eyes and a lasting ringing of a lost 'I love you'.


	12. Chapter 12

**|Friday, June 8, 1945|**

Adeline hadn't seen Bucky since that May night. Some nights she would call out for him, hoping he would come back. Other nights she even got on her knees to pray. Adeline barely left her room, not wanting any reminders of their once perfect relationship. Rumors flew around Brooklyn about her and her late fiancé. Rumors about how both Steve and Bucky parted this world. All Adeline could do was keep her head down and try to move on. She had gotten approval from the M.O.R. to return to the force and Adeline had thought long and hard. She kept Bucky's notebook underneath her pillow, reading an entry every night.

"You can't go back, Adeline," William said. "Just take the job in D.C. It'll make both mom and dad sleep easier at night."

"You know I can't William," Adeline responded, continuing to pack. "I don't fit in here anymore. This job will give me a fresh start."

"You're going to get yourself killed," William shot back.

"The M.O.R. is where I belong," Adeline retorted.

"Adeline, stop!" William gripped her wrists in his hands. "Just stop. Stop trying to carry around a torch for Bucky, for Steve. They're gone. And they're not coming back if you take this job."

"I find it funny how you think this is about them," Adeline spat, pulling her arms away, taking William aback by her strength. "This isn't about Bucky or Steve, this is about me. And I'm doing what's right for me, not for anyone else. I've lived my entire life trying to please other people and I thought that was all that my life was ever going to be. But the war opened up my eyes and I  know what I need to do." Adeline shut her travel bags forcefully.

"Or has the war blinded you?" William shouted after her as she walked out of her room. Adeline marched down the stairs, holding her head high, walking past her disappointed parents who thought they were going to have a son in law upon her return. Her mother held a handkerchief close to her chest, watching her only daughter go.

Adeline leaned her head on the train car window, not seeing anyone to bid her goodbye. She looked to the empty seat in front of her, willing herself to see Bucky there to console her, but he never came as she rode the rest of the train ride in a saddened silence.

**|Los Angeles, California|  
** **|Thursday, June 21, 1945|**

Adeline had gotten herself settled in at the M.O.R. headquarters in California. The city life wasn't much different than Brooklyn, but to Adeline everything had changed. She felt as though she had started fresh as she wasn't constantly reminded of her late lover and friend.

"Adeline! Are you deaf? Lunch orders, now!" The second in command, David Johnson snapped his fingers in front of Adeline's face. David Johnson was a good looking man in his late twenties. His blonde hair was always slicked back and his suit was always freshly pressed. He took pride in his position and took every opportunity to push Adeline around.

"Can't you see I'm busy?" Adeline asked. "And I did it yesterday." Most women who had joined the M.O.R. during the war were now happily married with kids but Adeline was not like them.

"Do you really want to push your luck, Adams?" David growled. "You're not even on a case right now, what could you possibly be doing?" Adeline bit her lip. She wasn't on the investigative team and she wasn't supposed to know as much as she knew about the M.O.R.'s ongoing investigation. Adeline took a calming breath, snatching up the lunch order papers from her desk.

"Also, coffee for the investigative team," David shouted as he walked away. Adeline took lunch orders putting them in for the cook. She then brought in the tray of coffee for the investigative team. She always made sure to pour the coffee slowly so she could gather as much information as she could.

"Yeah, but how do we get in there without getting noticed? They all know our faces by now," David said as Adeline poured the last cup of coffee.

"Do we have any new agents?" The chief, George Alcock asked. The man looked like a born leader. His peppered grey hair and deeply etched lines on his face shoed his experience from, not only the wars, but a man who has fought crime since 18.

"No, no one that I can think of," David said as Adeline placed a cup of coffee in front of each agent.

"Well, then anyone who hasn't been in the field?" The chief asked.

"Adeline hasn't been in the field since the war, I'm sure they wouldn't recognize her," James Stone said. Adeline placed the pot back on the tray as she felt all eyes on her. James had served in the war in the 101st and Adeline hated him. Not only did he hold the same name as Adeline's late lover, but he had the same dark hair as Bucky once had. His eyes were a misty grey which replaced the blue that Adeline was always familiar with. He had just about the same build as Bucky but he had an ugly scar on one side of his face, most likely the cause of an unassuming mine. He had a likeable personality, but it was all too easy to replace those misty grey eyes with Bucky's bright blue ones.

"Adeline? In the field? Give me a break, Stone," David scoffed. Adeline held her tongue as she looked between each man in the room.

"I'm being serious," James said. "She passed all the same exams you did, she's qualified."

"I would like it if you talked like I was here," Adeline quipped, silencing all three of the bickering men.

"Chief, you can't be considering this," David said, shaking his head.

"I don't think I have any other option, Johnson," he responded.

"Tell me, Adeline, how many field missions have you been on?" David asked, leaning on the table. Adeline bit her lip, remembering every single one.

"20, sir," Adeline said.

"And how many of those were successful?" David asked.

"20, sir," Adeline responded.

"That's not possible," David scoffed.

"If you would take the time to look at my records, it would say differently," Adeline said.

"It's settled then," the chief said. "Pack your bags, agent. You too Stone."

"Agent Stone is going to be my partner?" Adeline asked.

"Yes, is that a problem?" The chief asked.

"No," Adeline said tightly, turning and walking out.

**~*~**

Adeline zipped up her dress, looking at herself in the mirror. She was posing as eye candy for the head of the mob who was known to be selling U.S. intelligence to the Nazis during the war. Adeline didn't mind but she felt she was being rather objectified. She could do more than flirt here, show a little skin there, but this was better than taking lunch orders. There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Adeline said, looking in the mirror at James who entered with a velvet box.

"Wow, you look -"

"Like a call girl," Adeline said.

"I was gonna say mob wife," James said with a slight shrug. Adeline simply looked at herself in the mirror, unimpressed. "Well, for the final touch," James opened up the velvet box to reveal a chunky and most likely expensive necklace. "Here, let me help you." James clasped the necklace, his fingers brushing the nape of her neck, causing shivers to run down her spine. She turned around, noticing James in his freshly pressed suit. He was attractive, his bowtie a bit crooked, just how Bucky would always tie his. By instinct she reached up to fix it, quickly pulling back once it was adjusted correctly.

"We've got work to do," Adeline said, briskly walking around James who stood dumbfounded.

They walked up to the Cotton Club, just about on opposite sides of the sidewalk until they reached their destination. James placed his hand on her hip, lighting a cigarette between his lips. Adeline smacked his hand away with a disapproving glare.

"Work with me, Adeline. This isn't Nazi, Germany," James hissed. Adeline looked around, taking a deep breath, finally allowing his hand to grip her waist as she leaned into his chest. James led her to a poker game where their target, Enzo Manzini, the leader of the mafia was sitting on a high stack of chips.

"Do you know how to play poker?" Adeline asked, eyeing Enzo cautiously.

"Not very well, do you?" James asked.

"Yes."

"Wait, what?"

"Give me your wallet," Adeline said. James obliged, handing his wallet to Adeline.

"You better not loose it all, I've got a while until my next paycheck," James said. Adeline simply sat down at an open chair, getting dealt in. She could feel all eyes on her as she checked her two cards laid out in front of her. She then looked at the men surrounding the table. She held her left hand on her lap as she watched passively, not giving anything away in her demeanor.

The fourth round finally came and it was only Adeline, Enzo and two others who thought they could win. Adeline smiled as Enzo placed all of his chips in the middle. Each in turn revealed their cards. The mob leader smugly revealed his flush. Adeline, however, turned over her two aces, earning her a full house. The mob leader looked at Adeline's hand in disbelief as she was given the chips from the middle.

"What was the point of that?" James asked quietly as they walked away from the poker table.

"Just wait," Adeline said as they found themselves a seat. Adeline paid for two drinks with her new earned money. Enzo finally made his way to Adeline who smiled.

"Lucky hand, I guess," Adeline said, raising her glass as the man sat next to her in the booth.

"You know, doll, I haven't lost a game of poker in five years," he said. "I'm not letting you walk away that easily."

"I won. It was a fair game. I was just dealt the better hand," Adeline said.

"Where did you learn to play like that?" He asked.

"The war taught me many things and it wasn't just poker," Adeline said.

"I've never met a woman like you," the mob leader said, leaning in closer, his arm resting around the back of the booth.

"And you never will meet another woman like me, so love it while it lasts," Adeline said with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Loraine, dear, don't you think it's time for us to get going?" James asked, finding the situation too risky.

"How about you get me another brandy, darling," Adeline said, sending him off with a worried look on his face. "You'll have to excuse my husband, he's always so high strung."

"I wouldn't pair a man like him with a woman like you. You need someone more like yourself: daring, bold, willing to take a risk or two," Enzo said, brushing his fingers along her exposed arm. Adeline looked around, seeing the reinforcements cross the street.

"Well, love has a funny way of stabbing you in the back," Adeline said, crossing her legs and reaching for her holstered gun. She pressed the cold barrel of the gun to the man's side and he stiffened in surprise.

"Don't make a sound or I shoot and blow this whole place to hell," Adeline whispered into his ear.

"You set me up," he said with a slight laugh as the backup agents came in inconspicuously. "Let me guess, those are your men."

"Like I said, poker isn't the only thing the war taught me," Adeline said with a smile. A sniper shot through the window and the first one fell to the ground, signaling gunfire. Adeline finished her drink, signaling for Enzo to stand. She grabbed him by the shoulder of his jacket, leading him out of the loud room and stepping calmly over warm bodies.

"Nice work, 22," David said as he cuffed Enzo.

"I won't forget this!" Enzo shouted before he was shoved into the back of the police car. Adeline sighed as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, watching as the police car pulled away from the curb.

"Nice work in there, Adeline," James complimented as he checked his gun.

"Thanks, you too," Adeline said passively before walking away.

"She's a pistol, huh?" David said as he watched Adeline get in the passenger seat of a police car.

"She's a good agent," James said.

"You like her," David stated. James let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "Come on, man, I get it. She's attractive but she was with Barnes. A war hero. Listen, all I'm saying is be careful. Rumors fly around about her wherever she goes."

"And what are the rumors about now?" James asked.

"Mostly about her scar on her right forearm," David said. "And about her and Barnes, why she moved to the opposite side of the country, and what happened during the war."

"There's nothing about the war in her file," James said.

"Yeah, that's why there's so many theories," David said. "Some say she even had a child with the James Buchanan Barnes during the war and no one knew about it."

"You know, those are all just rumors," James scoffed, not believing a word out of David's mouth.

"Yeah, but they could be true. Be careful, James, you have no idea what you're dealing with when it comes to that woman," David said before climbing into his squad car. "See you back at base."

**~*~**

Adeline was unofficially part of the investigative team. They allowed her to sit in on meetings as long as she didn't step out of line. She was always requested for missions that required a female undercover, considering that she was the only female in the office, it made her a popular choice. Her and James worked efficiently together, however, Adeline had hoped she could go on solo assignments after her apparent success with the mob. Unfortunately, she was to follow strictly with James. This was one step up from taking lunch orders, but it still suited Adeline ill.

"Adeline," James caught up with Adeline who was walking out of the building. She turned to see James, a bit out of breath and his hair messed up from running after her. She looked at him expectantly. "I was just wondering if you'd like to, uh, have dinner with me tonight?" Adeline couldn't help but see Bucky in him. His grey eyes flashed a mischievous blue and before she could stop herself, she responded.

"Yeah, I'd like that," she said with a smile. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing to get to know Agent Stone. Maybe it would take her mind away from Bucky. Finding a difference between the two might do her good.

"Really? I mean, great, great," he stumbled, obviously not thinking he would get this far.

"I heard from my neighbor there's a good diner off of Main Street," Adeline said. With that they walked side by side but with a respectable distance between them.

"So, you served in the war?" Adeline asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, in the 101st," James said, another silence falling over them as they continued to walk toward the diner.

"And you? You served?" James asked.

"Yes, with the M.O.R. as an undercover," Adeline said.

"And you grew up in Brooklyn, what brought you to L.A.?" James asked, sparing a glance at Adeline.

"It's complicated," Adeline said. "I just couldn't stay in Brooklyn after the war so I moved on. What about you?"

"Born and raised in L.A.," James said. "Even after the war I just, uh, came back like I never left."

"Must've been hard. After the war, things change," Adeline said.

"Yeah, a bit," James said.

"You lose someone?" Adeline asked.

"My brother," James said.

"I'm sorry," Adeline said.

"You lose someone?" He asked.

"My friend and my … fiancé," Adeline said.

"You were close, then," James commented.

"I really couldn't burden you with my whole story. In all honesty I wouldn't even know where to begin," Adeline said.

"Good thing we've got all night," James said with a smile.

"Well, seeing as I'm going on a dinner date with someone new, I feel it inappropriate to talk about my past relations," Adeline said. "No matter how much time we may have."

"You're considering this a date?" James asked. Adeline opened then closed her mouth, blushing in embarrassment.

"Well, an informal dinner date," Adeline said. "Seeing as you asked me at the last minute and I had no time to prepare.

"So … ?" James urged. Adeline took a deep breath.

"So, Bucky and I had known each other since we were five. We hated each other until thirteen. We got together when we were 24.

"Took you that long?"

"Well, it sort of started when we were 21 but I left for D.C. with a new job," Adeline said. "We were unofficial until 24."

"That's it?" James prodded.

"Well, no," Adeline said. "Before he left for London at the start of the war, he asked me to marry him. Unofficially."

"Unofficially?" James asked.

"Yeah, it was just an idea. No ring. It wasn't until after his death that Steve - Captain Rogers, gave me the ring he was going to propose to me with."

"Wow that's …"

"Dense? Idiotic? A horrible thing to do to a woman?"

"Yeah, but thoughtful," James said, stopping in front of the diner. "Romantic even." Adeline laughed a bit, wiping at her eyes.

"Yeah, a romantic tragedy," Adeline said.

"Maybe, who am I to judge?" James asked as he held open the door for Adeline. "You still have the ring, don't you," James stated as they sat in a booth by a window. Adeline rested her chin on her hand, leaning forward.

"That's none of your business," Adeline said with a grin.

"I wasn't asking," James said. "You always have it with you. On your dog tags." Adeline sighed, pulling out her dog tags with her engagement ring as well as the ring that both Steve and Bucky gave her for her high school graduation.

"Okay, your turn," Adeline said. "You have someone special?"

"Had," James corrected. "I come back from the war and she found someone better."

"You had a ring," Adeline said.

"That's none of your business," James said.

"I wasn't asking," Adeline said with a smirk.

"Yes, I had a ring," James said.

"Well, enough talk about our depressing ex lovers," Adeline said. "Tell me something about you."

The night was filled with laugher and childhood stories even long after they both finished their meals. Soon they were walking home, their shoulders just brushing each other.

"I just wanted to thank you," Adeline said. "I haven't had that much fun since … well, in a long time."

"Yeah, it was a lot of fun. Maybe we could do it again sometime," James said as they stopped in front of Adeline's apartment building. Adeline looked up to see James' grey eyes turn blue. She smiled softly and shook her head, looking down.

"Agent Stone, I'm afraid that our personal lives and our work lives must stay separate. I admire you, I do, but in this line of business it's better that way," Adeline said. It was the truth, but only half of it. She knew she was still holding onto Bucky even after all this time. James nodded his head.

"It's better that way," he agreed but with a heavy heart. Adeline gave him a sad smile before leaning forward, placing a gentle kiss to his cheek. He stood dumbfounded as Adeline walked into her apartment building.

**~*~**

"Emmett Schwarz," Chief Alcock said, pinning up a photo of the man, "is believed to be the new leader of a rogue Nazi group. There points are where he's been spotted. I need him found and on our turf in two weeks."

"I can get it done in a week," Adeline said. All eyes turned to her, questioningly.

"Adeline, let's be realistic here, we don't even know where he is," David said.

"He has a mansion in Oslo, Norway," Adeline said. "He's having a ball this weekend."

"And how do you know this?" David asked.

"Seriously, doesn't anyone read my reports?" Adeline asked. "Since I started working here, I've been keeping track of important Nazi figures, what their current job is, where they live, even if they got a new cat. I've got a few connections in Europe that are very helpful." Everyone looked at her with an expression of astonishment. "What? All I was doing was lunch orders! I had to do something useful," Adeline said in exasperation.

"Chief?" James asked.

"Are you sure your sources are credible?" George asked.

"They worked with Captain America, I'm pretty sure they're credible," Adeline said.

"Alright, I want all hands on deck for this," the chief said. "All three of you, pack your bags and your Sunday clothes." Adeline grabbed her bag, packing things she needed from the office when she saw James walk out from the long distance communications room. James looked toward Adeline and he gave her a gentle smile. Adeline smiled back hesitantly before she picked up her bag and walked out of the office.

**|Oslo, Norway|  
** **|Saturday, October 27, 1945|**

Adeline fixed her hair and buttoned her black gown, adjusting the slit up her leg for easy access to her thigh holster. She raised the dress a bit to holster her gun. James and Adeline were tasked to get Emmett alone so they could question him about his intentions of starting another Nazi-like regime. While David was tasked with keeping watch of the party, making sure no one suspected as Norwegian forces stationed themselves around the mansion for safeguard. Adeline sighed, looking at herself in the mirror, seeing James' reflection in it as swell. She turned, greeting him with a smile.

"Agent Stone," Adeline greeted.

"Agent Adams," he responded. "You look rather lovely tonight." She chuckled, shaking her head.

"It'll only count if it gets Emmett alone," she said softly.

"Right," James said with a nod. At the back of Adeline's head, she still thought of him coming from the long distance communications room. What could he have possibly been doing in there? She shook the thought from her head and looked down.

"It's go time," David said, looking between her and James. "Oh, did I … interrupt something?"

"No, nothing at all," Adeline quipped, walking briskly past the two men.

"What's going on between you two?" David asked.

"Honestly, I would tell you, but I have no idea," James responded with a chuckle. "She's soft, caring and then she does stuff like that. It's just …"

"Complicated," David finished with a laugh, patting James' shoulder. "Women just seem to be an entirely different species. But Adeline seems to be from an entirely different planet."

"Tell me about it," James laughed. "We better follow her before she comes back here to kick our asses." David laughed as they quickly followed Adeline's path out to the car.

**~*~**

Adeline, James and David made it to a golden building, classical music poured out of each window. James placed his hand on Adeline's waist as the three of them walked into the golden mansion. It was impressive to say the least. Rich couples waltzed on the dance floor while others talked money with a glass of brandy in their hand and a lavish woman on their arm.

"We should split up," Adeline suggested.

"I don't think that's a good idea," James muttered as they scanned the crowd.

"You think we're going to find him like this?" Adeline asked. "If we find something, meet in the bathroom." Before either James or David could say anything in protest, Adeline strode away, disappearing into the crowd.

After an hour of searching Adeline was ready for a drink. There was nothing wrong with a bit of liquid encouragement. She ordered a brandy and finished the drink in three large gulps.

"I like a woman who can drink," a voice sounded to her right. Adeline turned and before her was Emmett Schwarz, the very host of this party. He was young and considerably attractive. His light blonde hair neatly slicked back and his chest was broad. However, there was one flaw to his visage. There was a scar through his left eyebrow. One might even go so far as to saying it ruined his complexion.

"And I need a man who can keep up with me," Adeline said with a smirk. Emmett laughed, flashing his straight white teeth.

"Emmett Schwarz," he greeted, holding out his hand.

"Helen Lantz," Adeline said as he brought her hand up to his lips.

"Might I have this dance, Helen?" He asked with a look of lust in his eye as he led Adeline onto the dance floor.

"This is quite the party, Mr. Schwarz," Adeline said, looking around the golden building.

"Please, Emmett will do just fine," he said. "And I suppose, though this crowd is a bit too rich."

"There is power in money, Emmett," Adeline said. "Take advantage of that."

"You must have quite the line of men waiting to dance with a woman such as yourself," Schwarz said, his hand on the small of Adeline's back, keeping her close.

"Yes, but I have found them all a bit of a bore," Adeline said as they waltzed across the dance floor.

"Well, that in itself is power without wealth," Emmett said. "To be able to manipulate whomever you desire, that is worth more than money."

"Yes, but I am rich in other fashions," Adeline said.

"Oh, yes?"

"I am rich in the game of love," Adeline said, looking up to Emmett's ice blue eyes that were somehow completely different than that of Bucky's.

"You think love is a game?" Adeline spotted James on the other side of the room who paled at the sight of her with their target. Her eyes snapped back to Emmett.

"Why, of course," Adeline said. "The thrill of the pursuit and the satisfaction of the kill. It's the oldest game in the books." Emmett looked as though he was going to say something but the song ended and everyone clapped for the symphony.

"If you will excuse me, Emmett, I have other matters to attend to," Adeline said, eyeing James who grew impatient. But this was took good of an opportunity to pass.

"If you must, I will let you take your leave, but I was hoping that we could find someplace more ... private," Emmett said with a charming smile. "Love is a game, after all."

"As you said earlier, I do have a waiting list. But -" Adeline placed her hand on the back of his neck, pulling him closer so her lips just brushed his ear. "- I'm willing to break a few rules tonight." Emmett eagerly led Adeline away from the rich crowd and she got one last glimpse of James before Emmett pulled Adeline around the corner and up the stairs. Emmett slammed his bedroom door behind them as he pushed Adeline up against the wall and kissed her. Adeline hadn't kissed anyone like that since Bucky had passed and she would have been lying if she said she didn't enjoy it. She kissed back, eagerly, her fingers raking through his hair. His hands were on her hips as he pressed his body against Adeline's. Her hands roamed his body detecting a bulletproof vest. She eagerly undid his tie and ripped his shirt open.

"You must understand, this is simply and occupational hazard," Emmett said through kisses as he struggled off his vest and disarmed himself, tossing the weapons to a nearby chair. This was Adeline's chance. Emmett tossed Adeline onto the bed, his hands inched themselves up her legs underneath her dress. He stopped upon contact with Adeline's thigh holster. He looked up at Adeline with a confused expression.

"It's simply an occupational hazard," Adeline said with  a smirk before bringing her knee up and knocking him out.

**~*~**

Adeline finished tying the final knot and she stepped back from her good work. She walked over to the mirror, fixing her hair.

"Adeline?" She heard James question as he was in the doorway.

"Ah, James, I was wondering when you'd get here," Adeline said. "Where's David?"

"You scared me," James said. "When you didn't meet me at the rendezvous point, I thought he had killed you. Don't ever do that again, understood?"

"I'm doing my job, James," Adeline said, confused at his newfound protectiveness. "This job requires some risk."

"Next time you plan on sleeping with our target, let me know ahead of time," James said, glancing warily at Emmett. Was that jealousy? Before Adeline could formulate a response, there was a groan and a pained laugh.

"Let me guess, your true name isn't Helen," Emmett said, his head lolling back.

"Good guess," Adeline said.

"What, you're not going to interrogate me?" Emmett asked in a disappointed voice. "Wait, I know you."

"Sorry?" Adeline asked, Emmett grabbing her full attention.

"Female agent, startling looks, yes, I know now," Emmett said. "You're James' girl."

"Excuse me?" Adeline asked, getting defensive.

"Yes, Barnes. It all makes sense now," Emmett said with a lighthearted laugh. "Adeline Adams. I've been told to look out for you. I guess I was … distracted." His eyes raked up Adeline's body with a lustful look.

"Who told you?" Adeline demanded.

"This is more like it," Emmett said with a wicked grin. "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you . And besides, that would spoil the mystery."

"How do you know who I am?" Adeline tried and James stiffened.

"I have my sources just as you have yours," Emmett said. "Tell me, Adeline, do you know where Sergeant Barnes is now?"

"He's gone," Adeline said tightly.

"But _where_?" Emmett urged.

"At the bottom of an icy ravine," Adeline said, her voice shaking. "Somewhere behind enemy lines at the time."

"And you never found his body?" Emmett asked.

"We couldn't," Adeline said. "The terrain was impassable."

"I see," Emmett said thoughtfully. "A shame really."

"Who are you?" Adeline asked, trying to find meaning behind his words.

"Adeline, that's enough," James muttered, gripping her wrist but she shook it off, ignoring him.

"Cut off one head, two more shall take its place," Emmett said.

"Hydra," Adeline breathed.

"Now we're getting somewhere," Emmett said with a smug smirk.

"But, you were a Nazi. And Hydra … they died when Johann Schmidt perished," Adeline said.

"That's where you're wrong. The war left Hydra in pieces, yes, but we were toppled by our enemies. That is something which can be fixed. So in order to survive, we needed hosts. Our most hated enemy was to become our closest ally," Emmett said.

"Like a parasite?" Adeline asked.

"Exactly, you're smarter than you look," Emmett said. "Whoever is still loyal to Hydra continue their work behind closed doors, within the ally and enemy.

"Give me names," Adeline demanded.

"Adeline, enough. He's trying to get into your head," James warned, but Adeline's gaze didn't waver from Emmett.

"The list is lengthy," Emmett said, a smile spreading across his face.

"Tell me," Adeline said, sensing James tensing next to her.

"Let's start with number one: James Stone,' Emmett said. Adeline looked at James, disbelief in her eyes as he pulled his gun, pointing it at her.

"James," Adeline whispered as he slowly walked over to Emmett, untying him.

"Adeline, I'm sorry," he said, sadness masking his face.

"Don't you dare say you're sorry to me!" She spat as Emmett rubbed his wrists, buttoning up his shirt over his vest.

"Thanks to Agent Stone here, I knew you would be coming," Emmett said, picking up his own gun. "However you still managed to trick me. For that, I am impressed."

"If you're going to shoot me, shoot me," Adeline growled.

"Now, why would I want to shoot you?" Emmett asked with a laugh. "You're just what I need. I wouldn't have sent out one of Hydra's best agents if I wanted you dead. I sent him out because I knew he would be your weakness. And soon, he came to know everything about you. You really should be more careful who you go out on dates with." Adeline stiffened at his words. It was all a trick

"What do you want with me?" Adeline asked carefully.

"To make you our own," he said, walking over to the closet, pulling out David who had his hands tied behind his back and a gag in his mouth.

"David!" Adeline began to rush toward him but was stopped by Agent Stone's hand around her upper arm. David looked at her with an apologetic look.

"Now we just need to tie up some loose ends," Emmett said. James tensed as Emmett placed the gun to David's head. His eyes widened in fear.

"No! No, please don't do this," Adeline begged, pulling against James. "Please. You have what you want. Let him go!" David looked up at her with sad eyes, shaking his head.

"That's cute," Emmett said before clicking the bullet into place and a deafening sound rang throughout the room. David fell to the floor, blood gushing from the bullet hole in the side of his head. His eyes were lifeless as they glazed over.

"No! How could you do this, James? He trusted you!" Adeline screamed, struggling against him. "I trusted you!" James said nothing as he held her in place, painfully pulling back her arms so if she moved, her shoulder would pop out. Emmett pulled out a bottle and a rag, covering the rag with the fowl smelling liquid. He pressed the rag to Adeline's face. Her struggles became weaker and her vision darkened until she felt nothing.


	13. Chapter 13

Adeline slowly opened her eyes. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears. Her breathing increased as white lab coats worked around her like vultures circling their kill.

"Bucky," she managed to utter, hear heart rate increasing, thumping loudly in her ears as she felt hands on her. She couldn't be back in a Hydra base. The war was over. The white lab coats shouted to one another, one grabbed a needle. What were they doing to her? She swung a heavy hand, causing the lab coat to drop the syringe. She pulled out her IV, attempting to get up. She fell off the hard table, stumbling on her feet while she reached for anything solid.

Everyone was shouted and bright lights flashed around her. Her heartbeat in her ears making it hard to concentrate. Adeline felt hands on her, pulling her, seemingly in all different directions. She called out for him as their white gloved hands, covered with crimson red pulled on her. Her attempts to escape were growing weaker as the white and red overtook her once again.

**~*~**

Adeline woke with a start. The only thing that could be heard was her rapid breathing. She looked around the white room then down to her arm where a needle was taped. She attempted to take it out, but her wrists were strapped to the bed. Her whole body ached as she adjusted in the itchy, white sheets. She blinked a few times in an attempt to clear her mind. Suddenly, the door to the white room opened.

"Good morning," a familiar voice rang. Adeline looked up to see dark hair and misty grey eyes.

"You," she mumbled as the memories came rushing back. It must've only last night that Emmett killed David. "You traitor."

"Please, Adeline, don't say that," James pleaded.

"You killed him! A man who trusted you!" She shouted, her voice hoarse as she twisted her wrists in their restraints.

"Adeline -"

"Shut up! Shut up! You're a liar, a traitor and a monster," Adeline spat. "And the worst part was I trusted you! I cared about you!"

"Woah, now, let's all just calm down," Emmett walked in, attempting to ease a fuming Adeline. "James, out in the hall. I'd like to have a little chat with our guest." James nodded and briskly walked out, leaving Adeline with Emmett.  Adeline glared at him, not saying a word.

"Morning, sweetheart," Emmett said, making himself comfortable, sitting on the edge of her bed. "I must say, you're stronger than you look. I can't imagine the power you possess. And all of it gone to such a waste. That's why I'm here." Adeline still didn't say a word, continuing to glare at him.

"Oh, don't look like that, sweetheart, smile for me," Emmett urged and she still didn't move. He sighed, leaning back slightly. "No problem. We have methods of ... encouraging your compliance," Emmett said with a smile. Adeline spit in his face, wanting to wipe that smirk off of his face. He reeled back in anger, raising his hand to slap her but instead his face melted away from anger, forming into a smile and he soon began to laugh.

"You're going to be so much fun," Emmett said as he sobered. "And such a pretty face too. To say that I won't enjoy every minute of breaking you would be a lie." He slowly undid her wrists only to cuff them again, pulling her out of the bed. Her hospital gown clung to her awkwardly as her bare feet sounded against the cold concrete floor quickly to keep up with Emmett. She pulled against him, but it was of no use so instead she took in her surroundings. Maybe she could form an escape plan. The building harbored an ill feeling. It was dim and cold. Not the usual kind of cold when you can't feel your toes or the tip of your nose, but the kind of cold that made your bones ache and made it hurt to move your eyes. Adeline let out a cry as she was dragged along the grey corridor. Along one side was a smooth steel but along the other side, there were multiple human-sized metal coffins that glowed a sickly yellow. Through the frost, she could see people in these machines. Frost crystallized on their eyelashes and spiderwebbed on their pale skin. They seemed to be dead. Each one had a calm peacefulness to their visage. It made Adeline sick. She saw that each had a number. They were experiments. Adeline didn't have enough time to let the fear settle as she was guided to a room with a single chair in the middle.

"No," Adeline whispered as she stopped walked. "No, please, no." Emmett undid her handcuffs and she acted quickly, punching Emmett in the temple, causing him to stumble back. Adeline spun around before the Hydra agents had time to act. She felt the laziness in her body as she kicked the first agent back, knocking over another along with him. She turned, sending a strong punch to the third agent who crumpled to the ground. She was stopped by an arm which wrapped around her neck, placing just enough pressure to make her gasp for breath. His other hand gripped a knife, pressing the tip into her side though not enough to break the skin.

"Stop, stop," Adeline begged only for the pressure of the blade to increase. She gripped his arm around her neck tightly as her vision began to blur. Her grip weakened as her hands fell to her side, the pain overcoming her before it was gone. She fell to the floor, too weak to move. She stared at the grey ceiling listening to her ragged breathing.

"See what happens when you don't follow orders?" Emmett asked, bending down next to her. He grabbed the fabric of her hospital gown, balling it up in his fist, dragging her across the cement and placing her in the cold metal chair. Hydra's doctors adjusted the straps, making sure they were secure around her arms as Adeline's head lolled back against the headrest in fatigue.

"No, Adeline," Emmett began, sitting on a stool directly in front of Adeline, "tell me what happened in 1942. Because your blood sample was very interesting." He fished in his jacket pocket, pulling out a vial of Adeline's blood.

"Beauty isn't it?" Emmett asked, holding it up to the light. "It's amazing how this little bit of blood can unlock the secret to a new breed of soldier. You, my dear, are the most impressive yet. However, there is still room for improvement.

"You see, the one thing this serum can't do is form the mind. Hydra is past this forming of the physical features. What we need now are _loyal_ soldiers. And the human mind is something very delicate. But if tampered with correct, something beautiful can happen." Adeline simply looked at Emmett with a look of pure hatred. She wouldn't forget his face. And when she was free, she was going to kill him.

"You are a woman of great knowledge," Emmett commented. "I think you will appreciate what we have accomplished." Emmett signaled to the doctors who wheeled in front of her a cage with two rats.

"These two are from the same litter," Emmett explained. "They have been with each other since birth. You can imagine there would be a birth bond between them. But if I take one -" Emmett reached into the cage, pulling out a rat as it squeaked in protest "- and use a bit of electricity with the implant we've placed in just the right part of the brain -" Emmett took a small electrically charged rod and placed it to the temple of the rat who struggled in Emmett's hand, screeching in pain. "Observe." Emmett placed the rat back in the cage with his brother and he attacked. Squeaking filled the room as the brother tore into his sibling. Blood covered the bottom of the cage as the rat surviving rat was left sniffing the warm corpse of his sibling, his small muzzle covered with blood.

Adeline couldn't take her eyes off the sight as the brother padded around the cage, leaving small bloody footprints. Adeline was going to be Hydra's rat. She was going to be their experiment. She was rigid with fear as the white lab coats took away the cage. Emmett stood, walking around Adeline like a caged animal as the doctors prepared her. She pulled against the restraints that wouldn't loosen their grip. Fear seized Adeline's body as the machine hummed to life. What she thought ended, what she thought Steve and Bucky died to end was here.

The machine lowered itself over her head, her muscles tightened as the electricity flowed through her and she screamed. She wished she was back in 1938. Maybe if she told Bucky she loved him then, things would've been different. She found herself just where she wanted to be. Her and Bucky kissing. It felt just as she remembered but suddenly they were ripped apart and she felt as though she were falling. Adeline blinked her eyes, the grey room coming back into focus just as another wave of pain stiffened her muscles.

"Just relax, don't fight it," Emmett's voice rang in her left ear as she felt herself slipping.

**~*~**

For the next few weeks, Adeline was moved from facility to facility, not really knowing how time passed. It was difficult to make an escape plan when each facility she traveled to was a completely different layout with new passages and cells. The only people she saw were her handlers who would feed her, train her, take her to the showers, and transfer her to each new compound. She was finding her strength, but they were taking things away from her. Her memories weren't all there anymore. She could feel them slipping away as each day passed.

"Asset, up," one of her handlers said in gruff Russian. She originally didn't know the language, but she learned quickly as the only thing they spoke around her was Russian. Adeline got up, holding out her hands to be put in cuffs. She was led down the hallway where she was sat down in a chair in front of a dirty and cracked full length mirror. She hadn't seen herself in a long time. She was pale and her hair was greasy and unkept. Her handler took out a pair of scissors, beginning to cut her once beautiful chestnut brown hair up to her jawline.

"Shower," the man said, hoisting her up from the chair before being led to the showers where she was relieved of her cuffs. She stripped naked and was sprayed with ice cold water. She wasn't given a towel to dry off, just the clothes she used to train in. She shakily pulled them on. If she were to escape, she would need to do it here when she was free of her cuffs. She had been in this compound for a few nights so she knew the general layout. Before she could do any more planning, her wrists were in cuffs and she was being led to the training room. She took another look around. She would make a break for it the next time they let her out of her cuffs. She took a deep breath, but as they opened the door, a man with slicked back blonde hair, a scar through his eyebrow stood in the middle of the room. Emmett. She forgot everything she was planning as her handlers took off her cuffs, closing the door behind her. This was all his fault. She wanted to snap his neck, break his bones, see him in pain. She would do anything to see him in pain.

"Move," one of her handlers said gruffly, pushing her shoulder. However, Adeline didn't move. She felt frozen, looking at the man responsible for her misery. He gave her a cocky smile. "I said move!" Her handler pushed her shoulder harder. Adeline turned, anger in her eyes as she grabbed the man's wrist, snapping it back. The satisfying crunch of his bones and his loud scream made her smile. She quickly brought her knee up, efficiently breaking his nose and knocking him out. Adeline's other handler pushed Emmett away, running toward her. She turned around just in time to punch him square in the jaw. She gripped his wrist, yanking him forward so she could get on his back, swinging her arm around his neck, cutting off his air. The man sputtered beneath her, trying to yank her off in vain. She simply gripped tighter until she felt a pair of hands yanking on her shoulders. Adeline growled, releasing the grip on her handler who fell to the ground. She turned, punching furiously at Emmett. He backed up, pulling out his dagger. Adeline was blinded with anger as she continued to advance.

"You did this to me!" She shouted, throwing a hard punch which was blocked by Emmett's arm. He pushed her back up against the wall before shoving his dagger into the joint of her left shoulder then twisting it harshly. Adeline let out a scream as Emmett backed away. She slid down to the floor, placing her hand under the knife. She was breathing hard, her left arm completely numb. More handlers rushed in, looking at the scene.

"Fix up that damn arm," Emmett snarled, backing away as her handlers yanked her up.

"No! I hate you! You're going to pay!" Adeline shouted as they yanked her away into a white room. "No!" Adeline tried to pull away but it was no use as she was strapped to the table. The white lab coats rushed in and a bright light blinded her as their gloved hands came closer and closer until the pain began.

**~*~**

Adeline woke up, trying to clear the fog that hung in her head. She blinked a few times, as the pain began to settle in. It was a sharp pain in her left arm. She looked down, breathing hard and she saw her left arm which appeared to be wrapped in white cause that was, in certain places, stained red with her blood. She was scared to look under as she slowly sat up, leaning against the cold concrete wall.

"Do you like your new improvement?" Emmett's voice broke the silence.

"Improvement?" Adeline rasped, turning her head to look up at him through the bars of her cell.

"It should be fully healed in a matter of weeks based on your cell regeneration," Emmett said.

"What did you do?" Adeline asked, closing her eyes.

"Take a look for yourself," he said, gesturing for her to unwrap her arm. She sluggishly began unwrapping her arm, starting at her fingertips. There was a glint of metal and she held her breath, continuing to unwrap. Her arm was inflamed and red. From her shoulder ot her fingertips was an imbedded exoskeleton.

"What ..." Adeline breathed, moving her new arm painfully slow.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Emmett said. "That, right there, is vibranium. The -"

"Strongest metal on earth," Adeline finished.

"Exactly," Emmett said. "Enjoy it. You should feel honored." Adeline shook her head.

"I'd rather cut off my arm than take anything from you," Adeline snapped.

"There's that attitude again. We're going to have to work on that," Emmett scolded. "Just enjoy your time off while you can. Because once that arm is all healed up, you're going to go through hell." With that Emmett left her in silence. She sighed, closing her eyes and resting her arm carefully on her lap. She prayed that soon, it would end.

**~*~**

Adeline didn't know how long she had been in Hydra's hold. She tried keeping track but there was nothing in these compounds besides the steel coffins and grey concrete. She felt herself coming apart. Each day parts of her would simply vanish. She would go through her memories every day, making sure to count them and each day there would be fewer than the day before. 1941. She couldn't remember 1941 as she lay her back on the hard floor of her cell. She remembered Bucky and Steve. She knew they were both dead and she knew she had to get out of here. The next year. 1942. Each day it was getting harder. 1943. 1944. She closed her eyes allowing the tears to fall.

"Adeline," a soft voice called causing her to slowly open her eyes. Her name hadn't been used since she got into this mess. What greeted her vision was dark hair and misty grey eyes. He, however, looked different. His hair was turning grey and his face bore the beginnings of old age. She couldn't have been here for that long, could she? No. Her handlers hadn't changed or aged as much as James appeared to have.

"You," Adeline growled, her voice sounded strange to her after not using it in some time. " What the hell do you want?"

"I'm here to help you," James whispered.

"And why should I trust you?" Adeline asked.

"I can't make you trust me, but I do want to help," he said. "Do you need anything?" What she wanted was a warm path and a blanket, but she didn't want help from a traitor.

"I will take nothing from you," Adeline growled.

"Adeline, please," he begged.

"Go away."

"Adeline, I can help you," he said. "I have a plan." Adeline looked at him. If she were to trust him, she would be going against her own promise of ending everyone in Hydra. Of course, she could always do that after he helped her get out.

"What is it?" She asked finally and he gave her a small smile.

**~*~**

Weeks had passed and Adeline's hope for James' plan waned. She should've never placed such folly hope into that traitor's plan. She wasn't getting rescued any time soon. Her handlers pulled her into the shower rooms where she stripped and was hosed down, causing her to shiver. She was never going to get out of here. The only thing she could hope for was death. She shivered as she pulled on her clothes. She held out her arms for her handlers to cuff but an ear splitting siren began to sound, echoing off the concrete walls. Adeline looked up, wide eyed.

"Bring her back to her cell," the Russian man ordered to the other and soon she was locked in her cell. She watched as people ran back and forth, shouting orders.

"We need to move out now if we have any chance at continuing our work," a female voice sounded.

"But if we move now, we also might lose all of it," Emmett countered.

"And if we stay, we will most certainly lose it," the female voice urged. "We need to move out now to lead them off our trail. Bring the asset. That's all we need."

"And the girl," Emmett said.

"We only need him," the woman said in an authoritative voice. The alarm continued to sound but the activity in the compound grew less and less. They were going to leave her. She rattled the bars on her cell. If they were going to leave, they could've at least unlocked her cell and turned off the alarm.

"Adeline," James said, causing Adeline to jump back. "We need to move. Now."

"What's happening?" Adeline questioned.

"You really thought I forgot about the plan?" He asked, unlocking her cell. She held out her arms for the cuffs. He gave her a sad smile before cuffing her hands, pulling her out of her cell. They walked briskly down the hallways until he pulled open a heavy door. She was instantly greeted with a harsh wind and snow blowing in her face. It was impossibly bright as she covered her eyes with her arm.

"Come on!" James shouted, pulling her along through the snow, leading her to a small aircraft. The wind stopped as she stepped on board and her wrists were free as James dropped the cuffs to the ground. He then ran to the cockpit, starting up the plane that rocked in the wind.

"Where are we going?" Adeline asked.

"Buckle up!" James ordered as the plane began moving. Adeline quickly took a seat, pulling on the straps. She held onto the edges of the seat as the plane rocked back and forth until it was finally off the ground, trying to move through the wind. "I'm taking you somewhere safe," he said once the plane was steady in the air. Adeline didn't know if she should feel grateful just yet. It was only an hour later James began putting the plane down. The whole ride together was silent which Adeline was grateful for. She had a pounding headache and the windows in the didn't help as it only let in more light. The landing was smoother than the takeoff as he opened the door. It was darker out but the small amount of light hurt her eyes.

"Where are we?" Adeline asked as she stepped into more snow.

"Come on," James said, not answering her question. He led her to what looked like an old barracks from the war. He opened the heavy metal doors which creaked in protest. A slight gust of wind exited the building, blowing Adeline's short hair back. She hesitantly followed James into the dim entrance.

"Is this part of the plan?" Adeline asked, looking around at the grey walls.

"This is a safe place, I promise," James said, urging Adeline forward.

"I thought I was going home," she countered.

"You will go home," he said. "Some day." James turned on the lights which flickered, revealing the cobwebs and the dust that had settled in the large room.

"Some day?" Adeline asked, looking about the room and before her eyes rested a metal coffin causing her to stop. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Adeline, I can't get you home," James said. "But I can keep you here until I can."

"What are you saying?" Adeline asked, knowing where this was leading to.

"It's the only way," James said. "It'll be just like you're sleeping. You wont feel a thing." He gripped her hand, gently guiding her forward. Adeline swallowed hard as her chest began to feel tight and her legs became weaker with every step she took. James stood her in the metal coffin.

"Promise you'll come back for me," she whispered, looking at James who, for an instant, was her fiancé.

"I promise," he said before pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek as she did on their first date. He pulled away, giving her a sad smile before closing the door. Adeline's breathing quickened as James stepped away from the small window. She raised her hands, placing them on the glass before she felt her toes go numb only to quickly spread throughout her body and the last thing she saw was her pained reflection in the glass.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who have supported me throughout this book. Though it was short, it was a blast to write and publish! The second book will be coming (tentatively) fall of 2019. I will also confirm that the title of the second book will be 'Control'. Something to look forward to! Thank you all again!

| **New York, New York|  
** **|Tuesday, May 28, 2013|**

The stale air felt heavy and through the radio crackled the best of the 1940's. Adeline slowly came to her senses, moving her toes just to make sure they were there. She slowly opened her eyes to see a white ceiling. She looked around the room which looked like some sort of strange hospital but she spotted Steve. His head rested on the edge of her bed, his eyes closed and his hand in hers. His eyes were a puffy red, it looked like he had been crying.

"Steve," Adeline said, but it came out as a strained whisper. Steve's eyes immediately snapped open and he gripped her hand tighter.

"Adeline," he said with a relieved grin as he brought her hand to his lips, kissing it gently.

"You're dead... so I'm dead," Adeline said, confused.

"Adeline, just take it easy, alright?" His voice was thick with emotion.

"Where are we?" Adeline asked as she tried to sit up, but a shooting pain went through her sore body and she gasped. She lifted her heavy arms looking at her hands. Her left was still laced with metal. "What happened?" Adeline asked, looking frantically back up at Steve.

"It's okay, just relax. We're in a hospital in New York," Steve said. "But things have changed, Adeline."

"Changed?" Adeline echoed, looking around the room.

"It's not the 1940's anymore, Adeline. You've been asleep for almost 70 years," Steve said. He got up, walking over to the window, opening the blinds. Out of the window there were large buildings, some of which she couldn't even see the top of. It was an electronic world. Billboards flashed, lights flickered on and off in the late evening.

"No" Adeline said softly. "I should've died. What about Bucky? Don't I get to see him? After all of this and I don't get to die?"

"Adeline, please," Steve said gently, sitting on the edge of Adeline's bed, hurt filling his eyes.

"This isn't fair," Adeline whispered, a tear slipping from her eye as she gazed out into the strange world. "I want to go home."


End file.
